Two of Moreton Bay United’s promising young players have been invited to play in a Football Australia (FA) elite match on Wednesday (May 19).
Mia Green and Zara Stone will travel to the QSAC stadium, Nathan, for the match which is part of the FA’s national player identification and development process.
Hosted by Football Queensland, QAS coaches will manage the teams selected from 26 invited players born in 2005 and 2006, with FA national coaches observing.
This first FA elite game ever held in Queensland will be recorded as part of the FA’s ongoing monitoring of emerging young players.
“It was a surprise. I knew something about it, but it was still exciting to get the email,” said Mia, who has previously been called into a Matildas Under 17 extended squad.
The 14-year-old, who is playing for Jets’ Under 23s this season, was at Moreton Bay United in the Under 13s, before joining the QAS and returning this season.
For Zara, it is her first call-up outside school sport: “It’s very exciting. It will be a great opportunity, I can’t wait to see what it’s like,” she said.
Zara, 16, is captain of Jets’ Under 16 side, but has also played for the Under 23s as well as the senior women’s team twice this season.
Jets women’s head coach David Da Silva was delighted Mia and Zara had been selected.
“We want players to progress to the highest level they can,” he said. “We want to be part of the journey for them on the way.
“The program’s challenging the girls to be the best they can and that’s why we’re starting to see the results of the girls performing and getting opportunities.
“There are exciting players in the younger age groups and as the program grows and the confidence grows in the community hopefully, we attract more players who want to go to the next level.”
Zara said speed was the most noticeable factor when she played up at Under 23 and Senior levels this season.
“Going from the 16s to 23s it was so much faster,” she said, “everyone knew their positions, the ball movement was faster. Then 23s to the women, so fast, no breaks, another step up again.”
For Mia, her first season at Under 23 level has been “really good.” “The game play is a bit different to what I had before, but it has been really good to play against older, more physical girls.”