Seton Catholic College student representing Australia in soccer

FROM watching her brother play to becoming a junior Matildas player, Isabella Wallhead is no ordinary teenager.

The Seton Catholic College student attended the U17s National Team Junior Matilda’s Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra and as a result was selected by Football Federation Australia to travel to the Kyrgyz Republic to compete in the Asian Football Confederation U-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers.

During her trip she competed in four games against Palestine, Indonesia, hosts Kyrgyz Republic, and Chinese Taipei. Australia qualified first in their group.

Wallhead said it had been a great experience after representing WA in the FFA Girls NTC National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbour for the last three years and attending this year’s FFA Girls NTC Challenge in Canberra.

“This year I was involved in three camps, the first two camps were intense training session everyday and recovery, just a test of what you are capable of,” she said.

“The third and last camp was a week and if you were picked then you trained to go to Kyrgyz Republic.”

Wallhead said she had enjoyed the chance to represent her country.

“I made friendships from all around Australia,” she said.

“The best part was being able to represent Australia and scoring two goals in my debut.

“The toughest part was being homesick, the first couple of days at the camps you do get homesick but when I went away my parents came over which helped.”

The centre back is training with Perth Glory and said she was ramping up for another qualifier in February.

“If I get invited to another camp I might be going away again,” she said.

“In five years I hope to be playing for the Matildas or Perth Glory.”