Rising soccer star Marley Masters embodies spirit of the world game

THE arrival of the Easter bunny causes a chocolate frenzy among most kids — but rising soccer star Marley Masters had other things on her mind over the long weekend.

Marley Masters, 10, of Hillsdale plays state rep Oztag, as well as soccer for Maroubra United and Eastern Suburbs SAP, and is the only girl on her school's PSSA soccer side. Picture: John Appleyard

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THE arrival of the Easter bunny causes a chocolate frenzy among most kids — but rising soccer star Marley Masters had other things on her mind over the long weekend.

“I didn’t get to play any sport, so I was a bit bored,” Marley said.

“I never really get tired of it.”

Marley started out at South Maroubra Nippers when she was six, where her speed on the sand saw her compete at the state titles in beach sprints before soccer “took over her life.”

The Hillsdale student, 10, is constantly on the go, playing the world game with Maroubra United and in the Eastern Suburbs under-10s Skills Aquisition Program side, as well as OzTag at both state and national level.

Soccer ‘took over Marley’s life’ when she first started playing the game aged eight. Picture: John Appleyard

She is also part of the PSSA Touch Football team at Maroubra Bay Public School, and is the only girl in the school’s PSSA soccer team.

“It was a bit hard at first because I usually hang out with the girls at school, and the boys didn’t pass the ball to me,” Marley said.

“They include me now and pass it to me a lot more.

“I want to be a professional soccer player one day — I met the Sydney FC W-League team at one of their games and (midfielder) Princess Ibini is my favourite player.”

Despite her gruelling schedule of a total of five training sessions every week in addition to games, Marley always makes time for others, earning her a nomination in the Local Sports Stars Awards’ Young Sporting Spirit category.

Marley is known for sharing her skills with others, and displaying good sportsmanship. Picture: John Appleyard

“I said to her that I thought she was playing too much soccer when she started with the rep squad, but she said ‘no I want to play with my friends at my club, I can’t let them down’,” mum Nici Masters said.

“At training she’s always making time to help girls from other levels (of the game) teaching them things, always high-fiving and patting others on the back during games.

“She’s at the elite level but never boasts about it.”

“I like being competitive but some people haven’t played soccer before, and I think it’s nice to help people,” Marley said.