Team Steph: Young players get behind Matildas on Catley’s field of dreams

When Steph Catley started playing at East Bentleigh Soccer Club as a six-year-old, she had to join older brother Daniel’s team. Now she’s a Matildas star and the club has an army of eager young female players.

On Monday night, those young fans will be cheering loudly for their local hero as she and her teammates line up at Melbourne’s AAMI Park for the Matildas’ do-or-die match against Canada – their final game in the group stage of the World Cup.

Young players from the East Bentleigh soccer club are barracking for the Matildas.Credit: Eddie Jim

Catley, 29, shot to prominence by nailing a goal from the penalty spot in Australia’s 1-0 win over Ireland on day one of the tournament, a moment that captured the imagination of wannabe Matildas across the nation, particularly at her home club.

East Bentleigh did not have a program for girls when she started in the sport, so she joined Daniel’s team and continued to run around with the boys until heading to Sandringham in her early teens.

Just two years later, aged 15, she made her senior debut in the A-League with Melbourne Victory.

The growth of East Bentleigh SC is symbolic of how soccer has expanded during Catley’s time in the sport. The club now runs MiniRoos programs for boys and girls aged four to six, with its girls-only sessions attracting 10 to 15 participants on any given Saturday.

Steph Catley’s penalty proved the difference between the Matildas and Ireland in their World Cup opener.Credit: AP

Jason Hart, whose five-year-old daughter Charlotte is one of those MiniRoos participants, said having the Women’s World Cup in Australia was having a huge impact on the kids.

“It’s been massive. So, my daughter Charlotte, she’s been down [playing soccer] two years. Last year was [about] enjoying it but not really making the connection. But with the World Cup now, we’ve been to a few games, and she’s loving it,” he said. “She’s loving Steph but Sam Kerr’s her favourite.”

The news that Kerr, Australia’s captain, will be fit to play against Canada after missing the opening two games with injury adds to the excitement for Monday’s game in Melbourne.

As a global superstar in her sport and one of the nation’s most recognisable athletes, Kerr is a clear favourite among the East Bentleigh faithful.

The regularity with which she scores goals ensures her popularity even outranks local hero Catley.

But Hart said community pride in East Bentleigh at Catley’s achievements had been obvious, particularly on social media, since the World Cup started.

Steph Catley in her junior playing days.Credit: Football Australia

Emily Wall, who has a son and daughter playing soccer at East Bentleigh SC, said her family had been following the Matildas’ fortunes closely.

“It was a bit disappointing to see the last game [the 3-2 loss against Nigeria]. They tried hard, but there were a few players out. So it was an understandably hard game to watch, and everyone was on the edge of their seats. That was a bit of a shame [to lose],” she said. “But the first win was amazing. Yeah, a beautiful penalty kick [by Catley].”

After missing out on tickets to Monday’s game, Wall and her family will watch from home.

“It’s nice to have sort of a local hero to support and cheer on, and when we see her play, it’s amazing,” said Wall.

It’s not only in Melbourne’s south-east where soccer fans have been showing their Matildas-mania and pride in Catley. Brisbane 24-year-old Bridget Exner went so far as to get a tattoo to commemorate Catley’s goal against Ireland.

Exner knows the impact big tournaments can have on fans, after watching her first soccer game during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and becoming hooked on the Matildas.

“I was like, ‘This is incredible, I love it,’ ” she said.

She said having the World Cup at home was a great boost for the sport in Australia. “I feel like they’ve done such a good job of making it [the tournament] accessible for anybody. And definitely a lot easier than having to fork out heaps of money to travel overseas,” she said.

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