Growing up in Kenya, Elaine Grigg has no idea she would ever play American football, let alone professionally.
However, when she moved to Australia at the age of eight, her father encouraged her to try out her luck on the pitch, and as they say, the rest is history.
"I really had no idea of what football is because I came from Kenya, and I'd only been here for three years at the time," she told womens.afl, the news website for the women's league in Australia.
The 17-year-old forward, who started as a junior footballer, is currently part of the South Australian under-18 squad.
However, she was named in the Under 17s Futures match and singled out as one of the top talents for the 2023 edition.
During her short yet outstanding career in football, Griggs has participated in renowned talent programs such as the Medleys, which includes players with at least one parent born overseas.
"The Medleys was a special experience for me with the people who were there. I embraced everyone's cultures, where they came from, and it was an amazing opportunity for everyone," she stated in a past interview.
Griggs is a remarkable pressure forward or midfielder and is part of the Australian Football League Women's Competition Academy.
She is known for her pressure speed, agility, strength, and laser-sharp focus on the field.
"Playing as a small forward, Grigg has that outstanding defensive pressure that sets herself aside from her peers, and though her production and some fundamentals can further improve, she has a high work rate," she is described by Aussie Rules Central.
"I have been trying to make it to the AFL Women's list in 2024. My individual goal is I’d love to get drafted, so this year, I’m going to work through a few things to get me there. I’d love to get picked for state for the 24-squad team, and hopefully, at the end of the journey, we win a premiership.," she stated.
Griggs joined the Central Bulldogs after leaving the North Adelaide Football Club.
