By Abbey Cannan
After returning home from the trip of a lifetime, Noosa athletes Chloe Murray and Rosalie Harris are set to continue kicking goals until they reach the top of their game.
The best friends are talented soccer players and, at the age of 15, have been selected to represent the Sunshine Coast in the women’s under 23s Sunshine Coast Wanderers NPL Team for 2023.
“I was about 10 when I tried soccer for the first time and as soon as I started playing I fell in love with it,“ Rosalie said.
“I love training and even when we can’t train, I head down to the gym and keep working because there’s always room for improvements.“
Kicking off when she was eight, Chloe said she loved the concept of the game.
“I think it’s great how you’re constantly improving and finding out new things about the game,“ she said.
“Apart from that, I play with great people and people that you’re going to know forever.“
Shortly after they represented the Sunshine Coast at the All Schools State Football Carnival back in 2020, each girl received an email at their respective school inviting them to participate in the Wanderers Australia Junior Girls Football Tour of Europe.
Rosalie and Chloe accepted their invitation and started saving by working casual jobs in Noosa.
Both girls had yet to travel outside Australia, so this trip was keenly anticipated.
Over the 19 days of the tour, the girls played against Academy Teams for Charlton Athletic’s Girls, West Riding FA (feeders for Leeds United and Bradford City), Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and London City Lionesses under the guidance of expert coaches.
They toured Leeds United, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Emirates Stadiums.
“It was a great experience. We met heaps of new people and learnt lots of new things. It was really fun to verse kids on the other side of the world,“ Chloe said.
The girls attended the men’s Manchester City v Chelsea FC and the women’s Chelsea v Arsenal games, along with the London Derby game between Reading and QPR.
Alongside the tour’s football focus, they toured many of London’s iconic places and the Midlands Region. The group finished in France with a tour of the Battlefields followed by a tour of all of Paris’s sites by day and night.
“It was one of the best experiences,“ Rosalie said.
“The first game against Charlton Athletic was awesome. They were an extremely good team. The tourist attractions over there were so cool. We loved seeing the Eiffel Tower.“
Starting off with the under 23s this year, both girls have big goals set for their future in soccer.
“I want to start in the NPL, which is what I’m playing now, and I’m hoping to go to the A League, and then Matildas, representing my country. My idol is Sam Kerr,“ Chloe said.
Rosalie agreed, “It’s great being able to play NPL at the age we are now because we get to verse a really high quality standard of playing groups.“
“It will help us improve for sure and it’s definitely an advantage. Hopefully in the next few years I make a debut for the A League and then hopefully represent Australia and then go on to opportunities overseas.“
Worldwide, women’s football is enjoying record crowds and soaring popularity.
Chloe and Rosalie recommended all young girls to give soccer a go.
“It’s one of the best things that’s happened to me,“ Chloe said.
“It’s great for young kids to get into because you’ve always got someone to lean on. It’s what makes me happy and it’s important that everyone has a hobby.“
With Australia hosting the women’s FIFA World Cup in 2023, there are exciting times ahead for women’s football.
