West Coast Next Generation Academy prospect Garrison Kenh is gunning to become the first AFL player of Liberian descent at the AFL Draft next month.
A flashy and athletic AFL Academy member, it has been an up-and-down year for Kenh, who played just one game at the Under-18s National Championships due to form, but then showed promise playing against senior bodies late in the year.
He remains in draft contention, and the Eagles may choose to add him to their rookie list if he is overlooked and Kenh appreciates the responsibility he has as a pioneer of football in the country.
"There's not that many Liberians out there, obviously at a high level in a sport," Kenh told Zero Hanger.
"To add another African culture into the AFL will be nice as well, and just to inspire other little kids out there, obviously from similar backgrounds and encourage them to support and chase their goals would mean everything to me."
Liberia is a small English-speaking country in West Africa and is Africa's oldest republic.
Kenh has family living back in Liberia - and also has family members scattered in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane - but has never himself been back to his homeland.
But he is strongly connected to his culture through his large extended family.
"It'll be a really special story to tell if I can make a pathway for other kids. I want to see more people in the Liberian community involved (in AFL), and it would be really special if I made it," he said.
"Representing Liberia is a big thing for me and my family. My mum tells me stories about back home, and I feel like we're a caring and open-handed country and connected."
Kenh grew up playing soccer before being drawn to footy when Swan Districts took a punt on him in their development squad.
He has steadily grown since, drawing inspiration from the likes of Isaac Quaynor and Changkuoth Jiath who represent their culture proudly in the AFL landscape.
Entering the year after a promising bottom-aged campaign topped off by a stylish Under-17s Futures game at the MCG, there were high hopes Kenh could push his way up the draft board.
It did not materialise that way as the half-back struggled for form and was heavily critiqued for his lack of defensive work.
Despite being one of 30 AFL Academy members nationwide, he missed selection for the first two games of the carnival for Western Australia.
Kenh worked hard to grow that area of his game, which has shown in the latter stages of the season but points to something different which he believed held him back.
"I think I was putting a lot of pressure on myself," Kenh admitted.
"It was earlier in the year, and I probably shouldn't have obviously put that much pressure on myself, and I was overthinking a lot of stuff.
"I think that just all made my form slump a little bit, and I wasn't obviously in the right form early in the year. That's why stuff didn't really go to plan leading up to champs.
"There were a lot of emotions when I missed selection for the first game. A bit disappointed, frustrated, but I didn't really let it get to me too much. I took it as a learning curve for me when not making those two games.
"I just went back and focused on what I can control, which was getting back to East Perth."
Eagles Academy coach Michael Prior has been an important source of support as Kenh has sought to grow his defensive game.
Despite his wayward early-season form, his athletic profile and ability to generate counter-attacks have kept clubs interested in Kenh.
"I think one-on-one work, obviously contest stuff, looking back wasn't as great as it should have been, but it's improved a lot," Kenh said.
"My contests and physicality have been something I've worked on enormously. When it's your time to go back, running hard and getting back is something I've improved a lot."
As part of his involvement in the Academy, Kenh got the opportunity to train with the Eagles AFL squad, learning from talented defender Reuben Ginbey.
Having graduated last year, Kenh has worked at Bunnings throughout this year but will happily swap his apron for the adrenaline of an AFL chance.
"I see myself as obviously a running halfback," Kenh said when asked what he would offer an AFL club.
"I can obviously turn defence into attack. I can use mostly my speed, my left-foot kick.
"And obviously breaking lines, creating opportunities and putting my teammates in good positions and dangerous positions.
"I need to improve defensively. I know that. But I think if I get onto an AFL list, I can work extremely well on the defensive side of my game."
