Nadia Harvey.
Camera IconNadia Harvey. Credit: Supplied/David Dal Busco Photography

Soccer: Balcatta FC coach has eyes on top four for women’s squad

Kristie LimStirling Times

BALCATTA FC’s women’s coach is determined to launch his young squad into top-four contention in season 2017 by improving on strength and conditioning in the pre-season.

The first team finished sixth on the Women State League Premier ladder in 2016, while the Reserves placed fifth.

Senior coach Andrew Di Carlo said the first training session held on January 10 went smoothly.

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“It is still early days because being in January, a lot of my girls are students or university students so they are on vacations,” he said.

“It was good to get back into it and we basically got the girls moving and running and I think they enjoyed it.”

Di Carlo said he hoped to strengthen the squad with four new players, which will be finalised within two weeks.

“We have a very young squad, the average age is about 18, so when you come up against more experienced squads, it always makes it hard,” he said.

“But last year, we improved on the year before so we are looking at improving again and certainly aiming for a top-four finish.”

Technical director Salv Todaro said he expected to have 35 players in the squad across two teams.

Mr Todaro said the club was committed to provide girls and women a pathway to playing senior football.

“We have a junior pathway for our junior girls with an under-13s and under-15s teams and this year we are hoping to add a under-17s, so it may be a couple of years before we see some of the girls progressing into the senior teams,” he said.

“We have a number of talented girls playing in our boys’ team and we look forward to them progressing into our senior women’s team.

“Last year we had four girls who were playing in our mini-roos team progress into the Football West National Training Centre, which is an indication that the club is heading in the right direction with our development strategy.”

Balcatta FC women’s first team faces Melville on March 5 in Round 1 of the 2017 Night Series Competition.