BEERWAH State High student Amali Kinsella has been picked for the under 17s women’s national soccer squad, following selection in the Queensland Academy of School team last year.
Previously she played for the local Caboolture club team since she was five years old and has been representing Queensland in national competitions since she was ten.
16-year-old Amali is in year 11 at school and had a mixed reaction when she got the call to train in the nationals squad.
“I was really excited but I was nervous because we got the call up a week before going so it was kind of short notice,” she said.
“It was really exciting because everything, all my hard work is paying off, it’s been what I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”
She was offered the opportunity to start training with the national squad while playing in the QAS soccer team, which is a pathway to higher levels, leading right up to the Olympics.
“I got an email last year asking if I wanted to be a ‘train-on’, just come down once a week and start training, I took that position then this year I went full time with them,” she said.
“I was already in the top 80 for Australia and getting watched at the time, then I got emailed and asked to come up to the training camp.”
Amali’s love for the game started at a young age, when her parents – who both played soccer – put her into the sport and she’s never looked back since, especially now being in such an elite squad.
“I’m just going to keep striving to be in the team, as well as the squad, keep playing well, training hard, and getting as many opportunities,” she said.
“Obviously the big dream is to compete in the Olympics at home in 2032 at Brisbane.”
Assuming she makes the official team, their first big competition will be the World Cup which will take place next year.
