Matildas Ellie Carpenter and Katrina Gorry inspire budding sports women
Katrina Gorry and Ellie Carpenter have overcome a string of hurdles to become Matildas’ mentors.
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Matildas midfielder Katrina Gorry made her W-League debut for Adelaide United unclear on whether the game would be a future sporting career choice but a decade later her decision to stick with the game is justified.
Now starring for Brisbane Roar, the 27-year-old has since claimed the Reds supporters player of the year in her only Adelaide season, earned the Asian Football Confederation and Football Federation Australia player of the year in 2014 and amassing more than 100 W-League appearances.
Gorry is – like teenage teammate Ellie Carpenter – an ambassador for global brand Pantene where the pair are part of the “Ribbon of Strength” campaign which encourages women to overcome fears, find inner strength, and actively participate in sport.
The pair are expected to feature in the Matildas first match in Adelaide in more than 13 years when Australia hosts Chile at Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday night.
“There’s a lot of strong minded players in the Matildas and we’ve had to overcome a lot of barriers along the way,’’ Gorry said.
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“The ambassador role, it means a lot to me, the last two years have been the most challenging of my career.
“To be able to share my story with younger people and females in Australia is something I hold close to my heart.
“I think if I can get more people playing and breaking through those barriers around the negative criticism or the challenges women are facing I think that’s important to me and I will take it in my stride.”
Carpenter has flourished into an exciting right back or winger since former Matildas coach Alen Stajcic handed the Cowra-born athlete her international debut against Vietnam in 2016 in the AFC women's Olympic qualifying tournament.
Carpenter and her family made many sacrifices to give her the best chance of become a Matilda and a W — League player where she now features for Melbourne City, on loan from US club Portland Thorns.
Her parents would drive Carpenter who was also an under 12,13 and 14 national 100m and 200m sprint champion to Canberra to train regularly during the week.
After her session she would eat dinner in the nation’s capital – about 200km from Cowra – do her homework during the ride home and was in bed by about 11pm.
Her routine was very much like Adelaide United’s Emily Condon’s 450km almost daily return journey from Port Pirie before the once capped Matilda moved to Adelaide.
“Growing up in Cowra there’s was barrier a lack of access to stuff and coaching in my journey trying to become a professional footballer,’’ Carpenter said
“It was difficult.”
“The one motto I live by is nothing comes easy and you have to make sacrifices to get where you want to be at and hard work is everything.
“I wrote down for my Ribbon of Strength “if you can dream it you can do it.”