Monash Health’s own Hayden Auber formed part of the winning team for this year’s Victorian Wheelchair Football League Premiership on Sunday 17 September.
Hayden was signed to Hawthorn Football Club’s Wheelchair AFL team at the start of the 2023 season, and helped the team achieve its first premiership win, following a winless season the previous year.
“We made history!” he said.
As a defence-line player, Hayden says the wheelchair version of Aussie Rules is similar, however it’s played on a basketball court, and the players handball and bounce the football, rather than kick it.
Not one to laze around, Hayden has also trailblazed in softball, playing in Australia’s first wheelchair softball competition, and is a star wheelchair tennis player.
Hayden started his Monash Health career in September 2021, when he worked at the vaccination hubs as a concierge, and has since worked in a variety of roles.
You will now find Hayden as a Ward Clerk at Monash Children’s Hospital in Ward 3D Lagoon.
As a wheelchair user, Hayden is keen to see the actions to be implemented under Monash Health’s recently launched Disability Strategy and Action Plan 2023-27.
While noting that the organisation has room for improvement when supporting employees with disability, Hayden also acknowledges the supports already in place that have “allowed me to thrive and get back into the workforce to do my small part in the community.”
Congratulations to Hayden on this achievement!