CARLTON AFLW star Jess Hosking has been announced as one of the four finalists for the 2019 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.
Hosking joins Geelong's Jamaine Jones, GWS Giants' Stephen Coniglio and Port Adelaide's Travis Boak as one of four finalists for the award, which is presented to the player who has best demonstrated the values of the late Melbourne Football Club President and Brownlow Medallist Jim Stynes.
The award celebrates players' commitment to the community, helping others and making a difference in the way they play and represent the game on and off the field.
Upon hearing the news, Hosking said that the nomination was "really special".
"The Jim Stynes Award is something that is held in very high regard," Hosking said.
"I never really thought that I would be nominated for it. It's something I've always kind of looked at growing up and I was in admiration of all the people who were nominated.
"I don't really do any of the things that I do to get the accolades. My initial reaction was that I was stoked at the chance that these charities would be able to get promotion."
Hosking's leadership within the community is profound, dedicating her time away from the game to ambassadorial roles with Interplast, Red Dust, CleftPALS Victoria and her own charity 2 Boots.
The 23-year-old is able to balance all this alongside a busy AFLW and VFLW schedule while also continuing to work as a nurse.
Hosking's involvement with these charities has seen her travel to Samoa with Interplast to take part in a week-long surgical program, while also building an allied health mentoring program.
Indigenous youth is close to the AFLW star's heart, becoming an ambassador for Red Dust Healthy Living Programs and creating her own independent charity ‘2 Boots’, where she collects hundreds of football boots, socks and runners to disperse amongst remote Indigenous communities in Central Australia.
Hosking travelled to the Northern Terittory alongside VFLW teammates Sarah Hosking, Mia-Rae Clifford and Natalie Plane earlier this year as part of her ongoing committment to Red Dust. The group participated in a number of community-based programs, aimed at improving the health and future of Indigenous youth and families.
The winner will be announced on the night of the Brownlow Medal on Monday 23 September. Should Hosking win, she will be the second Carlton recipient of the award after Dennis Armfield in 2015.
