Olympics, 2024: Kaitlyn Torpey reveals how she fought for her spot in Matildas squad for Paris
A year ago, Matildas Olympic debutant Kaitlyn Torpey hadn’t even played for the national team. The Brisbane girl reveals how she forced her way in.
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One year ago Kaitlyn Torpey sat in the stands at the FIFA Women’s World Cup watching the Matildas play. She turned to her friend and said, “I need to be there”.
Torpey, 24, said watching the Matildas in action, what they achieved and the support they received was the turning point – the driving force to help her become a blip on Matildas’ coach Tony Gustavsson’s radar.
“The World Cup was the pinnacle of motivation to really push to get in,” Torpey said.
“I’ve always wanted to be a Matilda, I’ve always wanted to be an Olympian and it wasn’t until the World Cup that I felt like I was ready and I was really close to getting there.
“I went to the France send off game, it was the biggest moment for me and I said to my friend I need to be out there, I want to be on the park, I don’t want to be watching from the stands anymore.”
So during her off-season with A-Leagues club Melbourne City and the guidance of the U-23 national team, Torpey trained harder than she ever had before.
It was a mix of ball skills, fitness and strength and conditioning training.
“I pushed myself so hard in the extra training that we didn’t have to do,” Torpey said.
“I decided to push myself harder than what I would in the season and use the time wisely to work on the basics that I never get time to work on.
“I worked with a really good strength and conditioning coach from Melbourne City, I was with him every single day – doing upper body, lower body, core and then also on the field doing running, technique training and trying to get stronger and faster.
“I pushed myself for four months.”
REAPING REWARDS
She could tell it was working.
“I remember we had this fitness test on week three of pre-season. I remember finding it not easy but finding it easier than I ever have and I knew that was from the work that I’d been doing,” Torpey said.
The extra sessions didn’t just give Torpey a new level of strength and speed – it created something she had lacked before – confidence and self-belief.
“I was so confident going into the season and I think that is what made me stand out to Tony,” Torpey said.
“It became a mental thing because I knew that I had worked harder than a lot of other athletes which gave me a lot of confidence when I played.
“I was ready for anything because I knew I’d worked for it.”
Her dream came true in February – five months into the A-Leagues season the same week she landed a contract with NWSL club San Diego Wave for a record club transfer fee.
Gustavsson named Torpey in his 23-woman squad to play Uzbekistan in the Olympic qualifiers.
Torpey was then named in the starting side for both matches and scored a goal in the second clash.
She has been a part of every team since.
Her versatility across the backline, midfield and wing made it hard for Gustavsson to leave her out of his Olympic squad.
Torpey said she still hadn’t processed the fact she was an Olympian.
“I have moments of this is the life I’m living now and it’s absolutely crazy but sometimes I feel I’m in a whirlwind and I haven’t processed it yet,” she said.
“I don’t think the whole being an Olympian has really settled in yet – it’s been a whirlwind five months, I don’t know if it gets much better than what I’m doing right now.”
THE BEGINNING
Torpey didn’t start playing football until she was eight-years-old – she tried her hand at field hockey first.
Her dad was her first coach.
She started to take the sport more seriously when she was selected in the Brisbane Roar Youth team – where she stayed until she signed her first professional contract with them at 16.
Brisbane Roar has been the stomping ground of several of the current Matildas squad.
“Ever since I was a kid I remember watching the likes of Tameka Yallop, Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry playing in Brisbane and they were playing with the Matildas.
“I loved watching them, I knew that was where I wanted to be one day.
“A few years down the track I got to play with some of them at Brisbane Roar and now I’m here. I still can’t get over the girls that I’m next to in training.”
Torpey played 43 games for Brisbane Roar before signing with Melbourne City in 2021.
She was contracted to San Diego Wave in February 2024.
Torpey has made 10 appearances in the NWSL- alongside fellow Matilda Emily van Egmond.
While she honed her skills in the A-League the defender said the NWSL had already helped her transform into a better player.
“The NWSL was in my top two leagues that I wanted to play in,” Torpey said.
“When I got that contract I was over the moon about it and so happy to be going.
“I love the A-League and it is a good bridging league but the NWSL is a lot better – it is a lot faster and just more quality players.
“I’m always up against someone world class. It’s been a challenging start trying to get used to it but I was ready for it and it’s been really good.”
PARIS DREAMS
There is no secret the Matildas are aiming for a spot on the podium at the Paris Olympics.
It won’t be easy – they are ranked 10th out of the 12 competing nations.
Unlike most of her teammates, Torpey doesn’t have the bitter taste left in her mouth from two fourth place finishes at two consecutive major tournaments.
The 24-year-old the team’s mission to bring home a medal wasn’t adding any extra pressure to the already tough task ahead of her.
“It’s more motivation,” Torpey said.
“It’s a really cool opportunity. I’m in the mindset to just enjoy these Olympics, take it day by day.
“Bringing home a medal would be obviously the goal but it’s not going to determine the legacy of this team. It’s just really exciting and a really cool opportunity.”
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