Promising Mid North Coast footballer Mia Bales is hopeful she can benefit from being one of seven players to receive an inaugural $1500 Regional Future Matildas Scholarship.
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The 17-year-old first played football for Lake Cathie in the under-8s where she first dreamed of one day representing her country.
Over the next decade, Bales has progressed through the ranks where she represented Mid Coast in 2021.
Bales hopes the scholarship can help contribute financially to her growing expenses as she continues to develop.
Her eyes are set firmly on making the step from the Mid North Coast to the Newcastle competition and then onto the next level.
"I'd love to play for the Matildas," she said.
"I have to make sure I train as much as I possibly can because I know playing in the Young Matildas camp it showed me where the other girls are at."
"It shows me I have to get fitter, faster and stronger so I can compete with the other girls."
The talented right winger hopes the scholarship will help provide her with more support as she looks for a sponsor to help fund her football career.
"I'm getting to the stage where I need more support due to getting higher in the league. I'm going to need training so I'm going to have to travel further and will need more supplies like boots and gear to support me.
"Having a sponsorship will help me to go as far as I can."
Northern NSW Football Head of Football Peter Haynes said he was delighted to award the scholarships to seven deserving recipients.
"We are now at the stage of the program where we want to provide a small scholarship grant. It is a contribution to the many expenses that these players and their families need to meet as they continue to train and play at the highest possible level," Haynes said.
"It is a small gesture as we try to help these fantastic young players on their football journey which hopefully leads to them representing our region at future FIFA Women's World Cups.
"We hope they go on to have wonderful careers in the game and inspire the next generation of young players coming along throughout northern NSW."
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