LOOK who stopped by Port Macquarie this week.
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Australia women's national soccer team player, Emily van Egmond, and her equally as football-famous father, current Matilda’s assistant coach Gary, called in to pass on their knowledge to future generations.
They held a training session with young players on Tuesday afternoon before coaching the first grade women’s premier league players in Camden Haven in the evening.
They spoke at St Columba Anglican School on Wednesday morning to high achieving sporting students about what it is like to be a professional athlete.
Football Mid North Coast women’s premier league first grade coach, Mick Day, said it was an amazing experience for him and his team.
Emily is an inspiration to all these girls and Gary has been the backbone of football for many years so it was an honour to stand along side them,” he said.
“Their knowledge and experience is amazing and to share that with us, inspires both our players and coaches to be the best we can.”
Emily currently plays for VFL Wolfsburg in the top division of Germany, the Bundesliga. She also plays for the Matildas in the midfield.
She guided the younger girls through a training session, and spoke to students about her journey and living the professional life overseas.
“Hopefully they can take a little from my story. Whether or not it helps them I’m not sure, but I’m very happy to be here and to give back to Port Macquarie,” she said.
“To have someone like my dad come and speak to the kids is also very cool. There’s a lot of information I hope they can take on board.”
As a youngster, Emily trained alongside some great figures in women’s football and she hopes to be that kind of a role model to Mid North Coast footballers in the future.
“I’ve had some huge role models and I’ve been fortunate to share a bit of my soccer career with,” she said.
“I try to do the best I can and if kids can benefit from that then I’m happy.
“Football Mid North Coast is a strong breeding ground for players and back in the day when I played in Coffs Harbour there were some great players from this area.
“We were very happy and very lucky to see what football Mid North Coast is doing up here.”
Gary is not just an extremely experienced coach, he was also a Socceroo. He represented Australia 15 times in the late 1980s, and has had coaching stints at the Newcastle Jets in the A-League.
Football Mid North Coast is a strong breeding ground for players.
- Emily van Egmond
He was more than happy to come to an area he works closely with, given his involvement in the Jets youth development program.
“Football in this area is very strong. We have young Angus Thurgate playing in the youth Jets team, and a number of girls also playing from this area who have moved down to Newcastle or are commuting,” he said.
“For them to be able to get into the Jets shows that things are going very well up here.”
He said a lot of the female players with aspirations to be a professional footballer tend to stay with the boys program longer which is good for competition and to develop their skills.
“You also have a case where it’s a very outdoorsy kind of place,” he said.
“If they aren’t playing football their doing other sports outdoors and working hard at that healthy lifestyle, which promotes activity.
“From the girls and what we have been involved in while we are here we want them to have fun first and foremost. It’s all about fun.
“We also want to help the coaches and show them hoe we structure sessions and manage sessions.”
Football Mid North Coast continues to blossom with some strong figures in the game aiding both players and coaches in our area, something van Egmond recognises.
“With people like Ian Jones and Larry Budgen involved with the programs, we have very passionate people with a huge love for the game, so I only see football on the Mid North Coast getting stronger,” he said.
“You can see the benefits of guys like Ian and Larry being involved.
“I think all regional areas can always be strengthened. It’s about finding the resources and putting the infrastructures in place.
“When you have such a hot bed and a vast area, for me, which can be more developed for the amount of talent that’s here, it can only be a positive to add more resources.”