Experience of a lifetime as female footballers enjoy Beyond Greatness Community Football Tournament
It was an experience 40 local female footballers from Kissing Point FC, Hurlstone Park Wanderers along with various NSW NAIDOC Cup representative players will never forget following their involvement with some of the greatest players in the history of the game on the steps of the Sydney Opera House for the Beyond Greatness Community Football Tournament hosted during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™️ in August.
FIFA and Football Australia invited four local teams which included Club Changer clubs Kissing Point FC and Hurlstone Park Wanderers as well as two NSW select Indigenous representative U14 and U16 teams who competed in the recent NAIDOC Cup to participate in a round-robin competition to showcase football’s power to bring joy, peace, hope, and passion to communities on the Unity Pitch.
Gailing Football NSW NAIDOC Cup captain Derelle Avery was ecstatic on how the tournament unfolded for her side as they ended up taking out the Community Football Tournament.
“It was an amazing experience to have been part of such a tournament and something that I will never forget.
“To have met a number of legends of our game as well as having played with some great players, it gave me and everyone involved a great opportunity to showcase their skills to the greater public.”
Northern Suburbs Football Association’s Kissing Point FC and Canterbury District Soccer Football Association’s Hurlstone Park Wanderers FC both achieved Football Australia Club Changer 1 Star Status, demonstrating their commitment to the development of women’s and girls football.
Club Changer is Football Australia’s Club Development Program which aims to protect and enhance our clubs, make them stronger and more resilient, lead them in building welcoming and inclusive cultures, and educate them on positive environments for players, coaches, volunteers, and officials while planning for long term viability and success.
The young footballers aged between 14 to 16 went on to share the pitch with FIFA Legends which included Brazil’s Formiga, France’s Laura Georges and English internationals Fara Williams and Kelly Smith.
The games were also officiated by some of the state’s best young female referees, Chloe Gray (NSW State League Football Referees and Macarthur District Football Referees Association), Charlotte Flynn (NSW State League Football Referees and Football South Coast) and Ella Mcgarity (Nepean Referees Group).
It was an experience that will live long in their memories of each participant, who received medals and an assortment of giveaways which saw them each interacting with FIFA Legends and former Women’s World Cup stars.
