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Wednesday 14 May 2008

Sporting Superstar: Ellyse Perry

Young Matildas Coach Alen Stajic with Matilda Ellyse Perry.


Ellyse Perry attended the “Promising Matildas” camp on the weekend at the AIS in Canberra. Yesterday she was named in the Matildas Asian Cup squad. She has already represented Australia at cricket and football, she is currently studying for her HSC, the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) graduate is about to take part in her first Matildas international tournament, the AFC Asia Cup in Vietnam


Ellyse Perry attended the “Promising Matildas” camp on the weekend at the AIS in Canberra. Yesterday she was named in the Matildas Asian Cup squad. She has already represented Australia at cricket and football, she is currently studying for her HSC, the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) graduate is about to take part in her first Matildas international tournament, the AFC Asia Cup in Vietnam

I caught up with her before she knew she was in the squad for the Asia Cup.

Ellyse your cricket skills have been well documented, you have been pretty busy with your cricket duties for Australia, how is the cricket going?

“It’s the (cricket)off season at the moment, I’ve been tremendously lucky with the opportunities I’ve had in the past year. This, and early next year, is quite busy for us (cricket), we’ve got the World Cup in early Feb in New South Wales coming up, then an Ashes tour and then a Twenty/Twenty series in England, so it’s quite busy." said Ellyse.

Ellyse, can you manage the two sports, cricket and football?

“There’s definitely a bit of time management to work out ways to spread my time across the two sports but I’m very lucky that I’ve got two fantastic coaches that allow me to do that kind of thing.”

Where would you like to see your football career go?

“Most girls here, it would be their dream to play in the full Matildas side. I’m here at Camp to learn and develop as much as I can then progress through the ranks and see where that takes me.”

Do you think a girl/women can play both sports at the full National level?

“It’s a good question, and I’m not a one hundred per cent sure. I don’t see why not, both sports are not fully professional in the sense of payment, obviously professional in the way they train, but it would probably take a lot of time management but I’m happy to pursue that.”

How did your football journey start?

“Like most kids I mucked around in the back yard with my Dad and brother. I joined a boys club at 6 and then it took off from there. I enjoy playing in many positions, I don’t mind playing out wide at the back or in midfield. Also don’t mind centre back. I’m an all rounder in cricket, so it’s a little different in football; obviously they are two contrasting sports. But I enjoy the fact they are both team sports, and I enjoy the team nature of both sports.

What players have influenced you or you enjoy watching?

Christiano Ronaldo he’s great to watch, and also home grown talent like Lucas Neill. In the Matildas people like Cheryl Salisbury and Heather Garriock are great players as well. Being around someone like Cheryl is great you can learn a lot from her.

What does the immediate sporting future hold for you?

I’m not sure what is happening next, coming into these sort of camps, training and see where it takes me from there.

Since the interview Ellyse Perry was named in the Matildas Squad to play Canada May 23 at Sydney Football Stadium and in the AFC Asian Cup in Vietnam.

5 comments:

Tom said...

She could be a great player for a long time :-)

Eamonn said...

Could be right Tom, but don't be surprised if cricket pay here as their poster girl.

she's already the star cricketer, being heavily featured in all cricket promotions for women's sport.

and eventually injuries and or a need to choose will determine her future.

My money is she favour for cricket for now, but regret it in later life when women's football continues to improve in standard and opportunities for the elite.

Will she play National League this year, when Cricket will want her.

Her first dilemma perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Article in SMH today. Sermanni comments that she is already established the most important player they have in cricket but in football she is a young player with potential to be an international but still on the fringe (she is only 17 so to be expected). Cricket already have her lined up to the the 'face of wmonen's cricket' this summer.

againstthecrossbar said...

The Womens National League will most likely force the issue if not this year then next. There is no doubt that cricket will be going all out to woo her but the fact is the future in that sport is limited.

With the growth of womens football, the Matildas heading off to the Olympics and World Cups, I think she has some hard decisions to make later this year/next year

Eamonn said...

againstthecrossbar, you are right, although I don't think the 17 year old sees cricket's future as limited just at the moment.

unfortunately the Olympics and World Cup are many years away for the Matildas.

The cricket tournaments, their most high profile ones, all happen in the next 12 months.

Also Ellyse is already a star of the national cricket team, it will be a long time before she is such a player for the Matildas. She is not a striker!

Reckon we are way on the back foot on this one. Her Dad is mad on cricket, all Sermanni can do is keep offering her camps/squads in the hope that she just prefers the broader opportunities football can offer.

However a 17 year old is probably excited by going to England, but will she be in ten years time? Too late by then though.

Cricket Australia will promote her all over the media in the coming 12 months. She'll find it very hard to walk away.

But in the end I don't believe it will be possible to play both sports at a National level.