Kicking goals in ACT

Holly’s journey to the A-League began when she was five years old, playing soccer with the boys from her pre-school for the Marrickville Red Devils. In her senior years at Loreto Kirribilli she played for Northbridge FC and represented the school in soccer at NSW All Schools and National School Girls competitions.

“During the winter season I was also in the Loreto cross country and Athletics team,” she recalls. “The trainings definitely helped my soccer with fitness and sprint trainings.”

Holly then went on to play for Sydney University in the National Premier League while studying Commerce at the same time. Having finished her degree this year, she now works full time at a marketing agency, working remotely from Canberra. Her training sessions are keeping her very busy.

“We usually do three morning gym sessions and four afternoon trainings per week, plus game day on the weekend. I am fortunate my work is really supportive and have given me flexibility with my hours to work around the football commitments!”

Holly says she misses her Loreto Kirribilli school days. "I miss seeing my friends every day and being in classes with them - at uni, I knew only a few people in a lecture of over 200 people. My favourite memory would have to be Year 12 and the enthusiasm of my year group given everything would be “our last” - last Music Festival, last Athletics Carnival etc.”

Holly’s advice for young Kirribilli footballers today?

"There are a lot of great things that come along with playing football, but the biggest one for me would be the resilience that soccer has taught me, not just in the sport but in life. Things like starting on the bench or having an “off " you can turn around and use as incentive to train harder. Even injuries - the year long journey of my ACL rehab really tested my resilience. So my advice would be to keep going, even when things don’t seem to be going your way.

"It’s super cliched, but I really do believe that everything happens for a reason."