TWO teenagers are shaping up as the heirs apparent to the number one goalkeeping role with Ballarat Eureka Strikers in Football Federation Victoria women’s state league one this year.
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Sam Dunstan, 15, and Kate Lyons, 16, are the frontrunners for the job after the departure of Jasmina Zdelar.
They have big shoes to fill.
Strikers development coach Laura Brady said the experienced Zdelar was the best keeper in the league.
She said while it was disappointing to lose her, she had given Ballarat women’s soccer a great five years of service.
The Geelong-based Zdelar has moved to Perth for family reasons and will pursue her soccer career there.
Lyons and Dunstan spent the bulk of last season in the Strikers’ development team in the state league one reserves competition.
Lyons played four senior games.
Brady said Zdelar would be the only major change in the senior squad.
She said most of the player turnover had taken place in the development squad.
The Strikers began pre-season training under re-appointed coach Rick Romein in early December and had been back from a Christmas-New Year break about three weeks.
They will play their first practice match against Keilor United at Morshead Park on Sunday.
Keilor United is playing in the inaugural Victorian Women”s National Premier League, which Ballarat unsuccessfully applied to play in.
Brady said it would be a big test first-up, but one which the Strikers was looking forward given that the state league competition would be stronger this year.
She said three of the top four teams from last year’s premier league would be playing in division one after missing out on NPL licences.
The FFV is yet to release state league fixtures
THE Strikers will launch a new junior development program at Morshead Park on Tuesday night.
Club technical director Tony Clayworth will oversee the program for 13 and under girls.
Laura Brady said it was open to anyone in the age group.
There are no conditions or restrictions.
She said the program was aimed at developing girls’ soccer across the city.
Brady said while the Strikers were looking to enter a girls’ own team play in the Ballarat and District Soccer Association’s under-13 boys’ competition, players taking part in the new program would be free to play where ever they liked.
The sessions will be on Tuesday and Thursdays at 5.30pm.
The BDSA senior season will start on Sunday, April 3
The BDSA junior competition will start a week later on Sunday, April 10.
