How Eddie Betts Dads

Sep 21, 2023

Eddie Betts, an AFL player, discusses his dadding skills and community support. He is a role model to thousands and advocates for indigenous youth. Eddie's parenting journey, sibling support, instilling qualities in kids, challenges of responsibility, and creating a community are the interesting topics of this podcast.

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Introduction

00:00 • 4min

The Confusion of Eddie's Name

03:48 • 4min

Sibling Support in Aboriginal Families

07:47 • 8min

Instilling Qualities in Kids while Maintaining Authority

15:24 • 19min

Challenges of Responsibility

33:58 • 19min

Creating Community and the Power of Hub

52:28 • 3min

Acknowledgements, Listener Gratitude, and Sponsor Thank You

55:17 • 2min

He may have played 350 games of AFL - but as Eddie’s wife always reminds him - his job is only just beginning… for his kids, and for his people.

Eddie, with his wife Anna, have 5 young children, so pre-season training pales in comparison to the high contact sport of dadding that many kids. His lunch box game is elite! But as Hame learns in this fascinating chat, for Eddie, supporting a family is linked inextricably with a supportive community. Growing up playing at his grandfather's house, Eddie explains how he began learning his dadding skills from a young age, and how now in the suburbs of Melbourne he is fostering community not only for his kids, but for many of the young indigenous footballers that leave behind their support structures to play AFL. The benefits are huge, and it’s not just because of the extra babysitting!

Eddie might be a dad to 5, but he is also a role model to thousands, and the way he takes it all in his stride with so much grace and humility is pretty inspiring. He’s one of the AFL’s greatest small forwards of all time, kicking 640 goals and receiving Goal of the Year a record 4 times. But since retirement he has turned his energy and passion away from football to become an amazing advocate for indigenous youth, with a special focus on education and creating culturally safe spaces. He has also published two children’s books, My Kind and My People, as part of his Eddie’s Lil’ Homies series, which excitingly looks set to become a TV show on Netflix.

You can find out more about Eddie’s amazing work HERE

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