Stocky’s Scribbles: The campaign begins

The many articles I have scribbled for The Football Sack over the past year started out as a fun way to provide many of the parents unable to attend the games some insight into the action, the atmosphere, their daughters antics and of course the result – but understanding it’s all about development.

November 3rd 2012

May I say nothing is better than the feeling of a win regardless of age, gender or level of skill. As we progress through the ranks in sport, winning becomes an expectation fuelled even more so in Australia by our preoccupation for success on the world sporting stage. Ask Australia’s swimmers what pressure to succeed is all about after the last Olympics.

So ZOMG (a term used by 15 year old girls which when translated means ‘wow’) – who would have thought I would be heading for Manila to watch my daughter represent Australia in the U17 Westfield Women’s Australian Football Team attempting to qualify for the U17 Women’s World Cup in 2014. For me, this incredible journey started back in January this year when a group of talented 14 year old girls (several from our local Brighton Soccer Club) were selected in the Victorian U14 Girls Futsal Team and we all headed to Canberra to play for the FFA Futsal National Titles.

No one expected at the time (although all of the parents hoped) these girls would create history winning the title of Victoria’s first Australian Female Futsal Champions. Needless to say they did and this event spawned a bevy of football events for both myself and my family over the next ten months that saw us change our entire lifestyle just to accommodate football.

Many of the places we have visited will resonate with the majority of parents reading this article; from DISC in Darebin some five times a week (rain, hail and not much shine) to crossing of Regional Victoria from Morwell to Mildura, then with the same group of talented girls to the Dallas International Girls Cup in the USA, to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra twice and Coffs Harbour in Regional New South Wales. All have captured my hard earned cash during the year with flights, accommodation, petrol and meals consuming the wallet.

And so 2012 will culminate in Stocky’s Scribbles reporting to you from Manila, Philippines where over the next nine days we should experience some very exciting and keenly contested women’s football against Thailand, Myanmar and host nation Philippines. Australia must finish in one of the top two spots of their group to qualify and advance to the next stage of World Cup qualification in 2014.

Little is known of the opposing nations and their capabilities on the pitch. What we do know is the Australian girls have all been training over the last five months, attending many camps at the AIS, playing and training with NTC and W-League teams. All have been carefully selected, prepared and groomed under the watchful eye of one of Australia’s most decorated female coaches; Vicki Linton.

Over the last two years, Linton was the coach of the Melbourne Victory Women’s team who played in finals campaigns both years and where three recently capped Matildas were born; Steph Catley, Ashley Brown and Brianna Davey. Linton has a strong pedigree for developing youth in women’s football and will surely play a more prominent role in the future with the recent departure of Tom Sermanni at the senior women’s national level.

Many times I have heard coaches recite what they are looking for in a player and these commonalities exist across the many codes. The key ingredients found in the recipe for success in any elite sport are generally skill, commitment, courage, determination, attitude, communication and work ethic. These fundamentals are what Linton would expect and combined with her experience and knowledge of football at international level, should ensure the young Australian girls are moulded together to deliver their very best performance at the tournament.

Weather conditions will be tough with temperatures averaging in the low to mid thirties and humidity approaching mid nineties every day. With a squad of 23 girls, it is expected that all players will be required to contribute over the tournament and the depth of the U17 Australian Women’s Football team will be tested in this campaign.

As I arrive at Gate 33, the waiting area is awash with stark white shirts donning the bright yellow FFA logo and elegant track suits adorning the Australian Coat of Arms. Shielded by team officials, I wait with bated breath for the opportunity to embrace a special team member before embarking on flight QF19 bound for Manila.

It should be said, all members of this team are special – having all worked especially hard over the last five months to grasp this opportunity and represent their country. As parents, the girls have already done us proud by making it this far. Now they have the chance to cement their place in history and provide Australia with qualification and entry into the AFC U16 Girls Championships in late 2013.

Stay tuned for more of Stocky’s Scribbles on The Football Sack over the duration of the tournament. Group C (AESAN) of the AFC U-16 Girls Championship Qualifiers will see the Westfield Australian U-17 Women's National Team meet Thailand (7 Nov), Myanmar (9 Nov) and the Philippines (11 Nov) with the top two teams progressing to the AFC U-16 Girls Championship which will be held next year and will serve as the qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2014.

The Australian team of 23 girls in alphabetical order is Caitlin CANTRIL, Isobel DALTON, Julia DE ANGELIS, Talitha DORO, Sunny FRANCO, Tia GAVIN, Beattie GOAD, Brooke GOODRICH, Victoria GUZMAN, Emily HENDERSON, Kally LEWIS, Alycia MACQUEEN, Teagan MICAH, Aiona MILA, Ayesha NORRIE, Chloe O'BRIEN, Tulia POLLOZI, Matilda-Lee POTTER, Siena SENATORE, Nicole SIMONSEN, Madeline STOCKDALE, Jessica WATERHOUSE and Georgina WORTH.

Should be a real HOOT!

Cheers,

Stocky

Read all of Stocky's Scribbles here.