The Autumn edition of the GO Foundation newsletter dropped into the inboxes of Sydney Swans staff on Tuesday.
There was a message from the one and only Adam Goodes, the founder and non-executive director, telling readers of the many great things the Go Foundation has ticked off so far in 2017.
Further down the page was CEO Shirley Chowdhary, now into her seventh month in charge, echoing the foundation’s mission statement, not only to “provide access and opportunities to Indigenous students” but join further the dialogue on reconciliation and recognition.
Sandwiched between those two esteemed members of the GO Foundation is a section reserved for another integral member of the organisation.
Madi’s Corner, it’s called.
The author?
Madison Howarth.
“It hasn’t been easy,” she penned. “But, although it can be difficult to find balance, it’s exciting to know that every day I am learning and growing; professionally, academically and personally.”
There wouldn’t be a better line to encompass the hopes and dreams of the GO Foundation.
Howarth has been with GO since the beginning, coming on board as a trainee in collaboration with AFL SportsReady and the Sydney Swans.
She was employed full-time at the completion of the traineeship, the two organisations sharing her work ethic and desire for personal development as HR Assistant at the Swans and, at first, Administration Assistant, then, as of this year, Business Operations Coordinator at GO.
On top of all that she enrolled at UNSW this year to take on part-time study.
Between her weekly and match-day roles at the Swans, organising events and meeting with partners for GO plus study commitments, it’s difficult to see her finding any time for herself.
Call her crazy, to juggle so much at such a young age, but she simply wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It can get pretty crazy,” Howarth said of the workload, which has been stacked on with Indigenous Round and Marn Grook just days away.
“It’s like I’ve got four jobs if you add them all up but I’m really enjoying the challenge.
“I’ve got so much support from my colleagues here at the Swans and at GO. Both Adam and Mick have always been there too, so that whole network of people have been really good.”
Howarth’s passion for the GO Foundation is evident.
Madi Howarth with two legends of the game, Michael O'Loughlin and Adam Goodes.
She is a proud Aboriginal woman, a descendant of the Wonnarua Nation who are the traditional landowners of the Hunter Valley, so to work for an Indigenous organisation as an Indigenous person resonates with her on a profound level.
“It’s pretty significant,” she added. “I feel like I have a bigger voice in conversations surrounding Indigenous people, as I’ve experienced both sides of the coin, and that’s pretty cool.”
Seeing first-hand the great work the Goodes-O’Loughlin brainchild is doing for Indigenous youth, just like herself, who may not have had access to a quality secondary education without such assistance, has also struck a chord.
“We’re in frequent contact with our scholars and their families,” she said.
“Just knowing they’ve come through high school on a GO Scholarship then to be accepted at university is wonderful.
“The foundation is playing a big part in their lives and that’s very humbling.”
So far, in its three-year infancy, the foundation has provided scholarships to 20 students, two of which have since graduated and gone on to undertake further study at university.
The foundation has, as well, branched out to provide not just secondary scholarships but tertiary scholarships as well.
Wirangu man and third-year Human Movement student John Boxer, who's studying at UniSA, is one.
GO's and the Swans' own Madi Howarth is the other.
This weekend Howarth will keep her text books closed, put her latest assignment aside and enjoy everything that is Marn Grook at the SCG and the AFL’s Indigenous Round.
She’ll celebrate with her family, friends and people – and everyone else, for that matter – because that’s how it should be.
“Whether it’s AFL or NRL’s Indigenous Round, it’s hard to explain it, but it feels pretty special to have a whole stadium of people, and throughout a whole weekend, engage with Indigenous culture,” Howarth said.
“Everyone should be proud of it.”
