Debbie Lee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Debbie Lee |
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Lee in February 2017
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| Full name | Deborah Lee | ||
| Date of birth | 1974 (age 50–51) | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Playing
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Deborah Lee (born 1974) is a famous former Australian rules football player and coach. She is known for helping women's Australian rules football grow in Australia. Debbie even gave up a career in basketball to focus on this sport.
She later became the president of the Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL). Besides being president, she also played for the St Albans Spurs. She started playing in 1990 with the East Brunswick Scorpions. In 1992, she helped create her own club, the Spurs.
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Debbie Lee's Amazing Playing Career
Debbie Lee was a fantastic player. She won the Helen Lambert Medal five times. This award is for the best and fairest player in the Victorian women's competition. She was also chosen for the All-Australian team six times. This means she was one of the best players in the country.
- She played over 300 games in her career.
- She helped her team win three premierships (championships).
- In 2004, she was the captain of a premiership-winning team.
- She was also captain of the Sunshine YCW/St Albans Spurs for many years.
- Debbie captained the Victoria state team six times.
Coaching and Leadership
Debbie Lee also had a big impact as a coach and leader. She coached her team to a premiership win in 2011. She was the president of the VWFL from 2004 to 2012. In 2009, she received the Football Woman of the Year Award. This award recognized her hard work and dedication to the sport.
In 2017, Debbie worked for the Melbourne Football Club. She helped manage their AFL Women's (AFLW) team. In 2018, she moved to the AFL Women's clubs to do the same job. She also coached their VFLW team that year.
One of Debbie's most important ideas was to have exhibition matches. These were games between the Melbourne and Western Bulldogs women's teams. These games were very popular and helped lead to the creation of the AFLW league. The AFLW is now the top women's Australian rules football league.
Hall of Fame Recognition
In 2021, Debbie Lee made history. She was the first woman ever to be inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. This honor recognized her amazing skills as a player. It also celebrated her role as a driving force behind women's Australian rules football. She truly helped make the sport what it is today.
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