Kyra Cooney-Cross says her fellow Matildas teammates helped her overcome challenges at Arsenal
After facing challenges throughout her first season at Arsenal, Kyra Cooney-Cross opens up on what she’s learnt from fellow Matildas Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley and her Paris preparations.
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Kyra Cooney-Cross played less than 600 minutes in her first season for Arsenal in the English Women’s Super League – but the Matildas midfielder said there was more to being a footballer than time on the pitch.
Cooney-Cross, 22, signed a two-year deal with the English powerhouse club off the back of her amazing performance in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The quick rise to fame has landed the star her first major athlete ambassador role with Athena Sports Nutrition.
It is a new women’s specific nutrition range from Vitaco, the makers of Musashi.
Despite it being her first sponsorship deal Cooney-Cross almost turned it down.
“I wasn’t a big fan of taking protein powders to be honest but when I joined the national team they forced me to take it – but I’m not a big fan of it,” Cooney-Cross, talking in her ambassador role said.
“But I really liked the Athena products.
“After learning about the new range and that it was 100 per cent dedicated to athletic women, I was totally on-board.”
Cooney-Cross has had a tough first season at Arsenal with plenty of frustrations over not getting as many minutes as she was used to playing at her Swedish club or in the A-League's.
She played 547 minutes across 24 games this season.
Having fellow Matildas teammates Steph Catley and Caitlin Foord by her side has helped the young midfielder keep grounded, stay patient and focus on soaking up everything she can on and off the pitch.
“They spoke to me a lot because they understood that I wasn’t getting much minutes but you just have to be patient,” Cooney-Cross said.
“It was my first season, so hopefully next season or future seasons I get more minutes.
“Even if I’m not playing I’m training with world class players every day like Leah Williamson- she’s a great leader, Alessia Russo and of course Steph and Caitlin.
“I’m learning so much every day, even if it’s not on the pitch – it’s so great to be in that environment.”
Cooney-Cross said one of her biggest leanings this season had been her ability to take more ownership.
Having access to more support staff than she has had in previous leagues also means Cooney-Cross is in the best shape of her career – physically and mentally.
“We have pretty much everything,” Cooney-Cross said.
“We have a chef, we have a nutritionist, we have three or four physios and a couple of masseuses and then we have the coaching staff, strength and conditioning coaches – we have so many.
“We also have a schedule – we come in for breakfast together, we have meetings, training, lunch together, get treatment, more meetings – it is very professional and the staff really do take care of us.”
Cooney-Cross has been enjoying a short break at home on the Central Coast, in New South Wales, with her family, before heading back to the UK and then on to Spain for the Matildas pre-Olympics training camp.
Even though it was only a short break, and she still had to train and run laps with the Geelong Cats, it had put her in a good place before the Olympics.
It is different to how Cooney-Cross prepared for the World Cup. Last year she was playing in the Swedish league which ran through to the tournament – meaning the midfielder didn’t get a break beforehand.
“It’s a lot different this time but it’s really nice that I’m at home and just able to switch off but also do my own thing and work on anything I need to improve on,” Cooney-Cross said.
“We only get two weeks or a week off if we’re lucky so it is pretty important to switch off from everything else.”
Cooney-Cross isn’t the only Aussie Athena Sports ambassador, with Firebirds Kim Ravaillion and WNBL Sydney Flames player Emma Clarke also part of the campaign.
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Originally published as Kyra Cooney-Cross says her fellow Matildas teammates helped her overcome challenges at Arsenal
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