Leah Kaslar has today been announced as one of three players to be awarded a full scholarship from Torrens University as part of their partnership with the AFL Players’ Association.

Kaslar, who is an AFLPA Board member, was announced as a scholarship recipient alongside Adelaide ruck Reilly O’Brien and Melbourne forward Alex Neal-Bullen.

Off the field Kaslar works as an environmental scientist and she said the personal development opportunity presented by Torrens University was one that was too important to give up.

“I’ve committed a lot of time to my craft (football) – and I’ve worked for many years before it was a national competition and to be able to have a university invest in me, as an athlete and, as a person, to be able to better myself, is really huge,” Kaslar told aflplayers.com.au.

“The chance to learn from industry leaders and people that have worked in such a variety of industries is invaluable experience.”

Kaslar will be studying her Masters of Business Administration, alongside O’Brien, with the hope of forging a career when she retires that will have a positive and lasting impact on the community.

The 35-year-old is hoping to use her experience at community and AFLW-level football to provide greater pathways to help shape future athletes, as well as continuing her environmental science work with a focus on biodegradable materials, renewable energies and finding sustainable ways to provide clean water.

Player and athlete development is a cornerstone of the AFLPA’s support provided to members, with a regional manager connected to each AFL and AFLW club and resources focussed on player development and wellbeing teams.