Alexandra Georgopoulos flying the Australian Flag in Berlin
Canterbury District & Soccer Football Association’s promising young referee Alexandra Georgopoulos is continuing to kick goals after being invited to take part in the ‘Discover Football’ Conference to be held in Berlin from December 1st till the 4th.
Discover Football will welcome 15 women coaches and 15 referees to Berlin to exchange, network and to advance their skills and knowledge.
Coming from over 25 different countries across the globe, these ambitious women, including Alexandra, will work together on practical football exercises and trainings as well as off the pitch in seminars.
Topics of particular focus for the conference are: leadership skills and the promotion of young talent as football coaches and referees, managing stress and conflict prevention, women’s health and football, technical training for both coaches and referees.
This conference brings together women committed to the idea of football as an emancipatory tool, aiming to share experiences and build strategies as well as a common voice to advance women’s football and women’s rights.
Georgopoulos is currently studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in Sport Management at Western Sydney University.
Alexandra has been playing football since she was 6 years old, starting in a mixed team and then moving into a female team during her teen years, she now plays in the All-Age Women category.
She is an all-rounder, for not only does she play, but she is a referee, a licensed coach and holds a committee position as the Female Football Officer for her football club, the Strathfield Strikers FC, as well as being a Female Football Committee member for the Canterbury District & Soccer Football Association (CDSFA).
In 2016, Alexandra earnt the opportunity of a lifetime, she was 1 of 50 chosen worldwide to be a part of the FIFA Fan Focus Group held at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.
She was one of 26,200 fans worldwide to complete a FIFA Fan Survey, and her story won over the FIFA officials. She was the youngest attendee and had to complete 3 of her final school exams in a hotel conference room in Zurich.
The Fan Focus Group saw Alexandra take part in extensive group consultations about female football, football loyalty programs as well as having had an insight into the implementation of VAR.
Alexandra is a referee for the Canterbury Referees Association (CRA), and she is a part of the campaign run by Football NSW and the CDSFA to encourage people to give refereeing a try.
Alexandra was previously the Young Referees Coordinator for her football club.
She wants to ensure that females are provided with the support to become confident referees, players and coaches in football.
In the future, Alexandra is determined to work for FIFA, hoping to be the first female FIFA President.