Young gun hungry for goals at Campbelltown Uniting Church Soccer Club
Her spectacular five goal showing in the opening match of the season is clear indication she has what it takes in her new role up front.
As a former midfielder for Campbelltown United Church Soccer Club (CUSC) for the past two years, Jess has found herself playing an attacking role in the U/14s girls, under veteran coach Neal Gray.
?Jess posses? natural speed and agility and has definitely shown that she can score goals,? said Gray.
?She has a good attitude and tries hard in every session.?
?In shooting drills, she makes sure she works on her technique and speed when approaching each shot,? added Gray.
The season started positive for the girls, marking an impressive 11-0 win over Macquarie Fields outfit the ?Gunners? in their first match of the season, before slumping to a few narrow defeats due to school holiday interruptions in the past few weeks.
Jess has not let the defeats bother her and is continuously working hard at training to improve. Her speed, skill and crossing abilities have seen enormous improvement in the past two years according to father Paul Hypatidis ? who can occasionally be seen helping out Neal Gray during sessions.
He sees his young girl no longer playing what he calls ?hit and giggle? football anymore, explaining she now looks where to pass instead of simply kicking the ball forward without purpose.
?I think the extra specific striker training she?s receiving is really helping.?
?The coach has the forwards working on how to strike the ball and where to place it when they are faced with a scoring opportunity, and this has certainly helped Jess out a lot,? added Paul.
Although the 13 year old has not seen the back of the net since her debut game, which earned her a ?Chick of the Match? award, she has come close on a few occasions, denied only by the upright.
Hoping to be part of a strong Macarthur representative side in the near future, Jess? inclusion into the Developmental Squad for the Rams last year means she can definitely match it with the girls at the next level.
And this wouldn?t be the first time the young Sydney FC supporter has been recognized either. Her previous season saw her play up an age group, from U/13s to U/14s, in a few matches the team required players, allowing her to gain experience and be better prepared for this year?s season.
With an ?accepting of direction? approach towards football and life, as well as a ?disheartened? attitude towards defeats and negative feedback according to Gray, Jess is one passionate footballer everyone at CUSC can be proud of.
-By Caetano Lima
