THE inaugural New England Soccer Association Girls’ Academy squad was recently announced with 22 players selected from a geographical area bounded by Moree, Glen Innes and Coonabarabran.
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The girls are aged between 11 and 15.
As the first academy for girls’ soccer in north-west NSW, it reflects the increasing strength of girls’ soccer in the region.
The academy program will consist of seven sessions from Sunday, May 13 to Sunday August 26. Sessions will be held in Armidale and Tamworth.
The academy will benefit the girls both now and in the future.
NEDSA president Alex McDonald said the aim of the academy was to provide girls with high-level coaching which will maximise their chances of gaining selection in regional and state teams.
“These opportunities have been available to boys for some time but not to girls,” he said.
“The academy will improve the overall standard of girls’ soccer in the region and strengthen the representative teams from the region.”
Girls have the opportunity to represent North West at the state PSSA and CHS championships.
They also can represent New England or North West in the 12s, 14s and 17s. The 12s are a development squad while the 14s and 17s play in the Northern NSW Soccer Federation Championships at Easter each year.
The New England District Soccer Association administers the academy but the girls selected come from the whole of the north- west region.
The academy will be coached by Kim Preece, a State Licence level coach with a strong history of success at coaching girls’ sides.
He is currently coach of the New England 17 girls’ team and is assisting with the coaching of the North West side which will compete at the CHS state championships in May.
“We are very fortunate to have a coach of the calibre of Kim Preece involved,” McDonald said.
NEW ENGLAND DSA GIRLS ACADEMY SQUAD: Louise Rolfe, Rochelle Wallace, Sophie Wallace, Rachel Zirkler, Emma Cooper, Felicity Ward, Anika Guiliani, Emma Zirkler, Lauren Green, (Armidale), Emily Tarrant (Langothlin), Carla Bruno, Emily Rixon, Ashlee Davis, Jessica McLean (Tamworth), Ashlea Williamson, Kelly Williamson (Glen Innes), Sarah Percival (Coonabarabran), Rebecca Mills (Guyra), Ashlea Rinchival (Barraba), Carla Suey (Gunnedah), Lauren Hough (Guyra), Holly Houston (Moree).
