The National Youth Championships 2023 Girls' Tournament officially took over Wollongong on Monday as teams took to the fields at WIN Stadium and JJ Kelly Park.
in ideal conditions and the pristine backdrop of Wollongong's beaches, players, officials and spectators gathered for the Opening Ceremony featuring Wollongong Lord Mayor, Gordon Bradbery and Football Australia's Head of Professional Football and Competitions, Natalie Lutz.
Twenty-two teams from across Australia will compete in the Under 14 and Under 16 divisions this week, with the Invitational XI, an Indigenous team funded and managed by Football Australia, making their National Youth Championships debut.
The tournament’s opening matches served up some tense stalemates and produced some stunning long-range strikes, indicating an exciting week of footballing action in Wollongong.
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Protecting the goal is one of the most challenging jobs on the pitch and often goes unrecognised.
But Football Australia’s Head of Goalkeeping and CommBank Matildas’ Goalkeeper Coach, Tony Franken is more than appreciative of their work and is watching closely to spot the next Makenzie Arnold.
“I come here each year and look at the juniors, so I quite enjoyed the week and just really getting a first look at the next generation and identifying goalkeepers for the future,” Franken said.
“We’ve got about six or so competencies that we look for and we let the goalkeepers know what we’re looking for at the beginning of the tournament.
“The major thing is their mentality and presence. Do they want to be there, making saves and another thing we’re looking for is that they are playing the game rather than watching the game.”
A brilliant showing in the
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