Despite the chilly Melbourne weather, the 2024 National Youth Championships Girls' Tournament for U15 and U16s kicked off on Wednesday, 3 July with a sizzle, proving that even a frosty day can't put a freeze on the excitement and anticipation for the tournament.
With every breath visible in the icy air, the players, match officials and coaches all arrived at the Home of the Matildas at Latrobe University in Melbourne ready to commence their six-day campaign.
It took just one minute before the opening goal of the tournament was scored, setting the tone for a free-flowing opening day of action. Over 50 goals were scored on the opening day, keeping the spectators on their feet and highlighting the immense talent on display.
The action will continue on Thursday as the teams return for their second and third matches, when the competition tables begin to take shape.
Frosty Opening Ceremony
The morning frost didn't have time to disperse before every team had gathered for the opening ceremony for the 43rd National Youth Championships.
The introduction saw Rae Dower, Technical Director - Women's Football & Head Coach - Women's U17, and Gema Simon, a former CommBank Matilda, presenting the captain and vice-captain armbands to the young leaders from the 10 teams in the U15 Age Group and the 12 teams from U16 Age Group.
Dower spoke about the importance of leadership and the honour of representing their state or territory, while Simon was there to greet each player and stand as an example of what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.
Match Official Development
While the spotlight often shines on the players, the National Youth Championships are equally significant for match officials.
According to Daniel Goodwin, Football Australia's Pathway Manager - Referees, the tournament is a crucial platform for identifying and nurturing the next generation of female match officials.
"For the next week, our goal is to identify our next group of female match officials," Goodwin explained.
"They might not be going straight from here to the A-Leagues, but we want to ensure we're getting a group of people who can be educated and developed to the expected level. When the time comes, they'll be ready."
Match officials at the National Youth Championships are nominated by their respective member federation, emphasizing the importance of this event in the broader football ecosystem. Every night, a debrief session takes place to assess the overall performance of the group from that day.
"Every referee coach will debrief with their referees, providing feedback on decision accuracy, game control and player management," Goodwin continued.
"Having everyone together in the same room for a week is something we don't normally experience.
"We might see them in their own member federations, but they're not officiating games outside their comfort zone. We want to see them stretched and challenged, and this is the perfect environment for it."
Home of the (future) Matildas
The Girls' Tournament of the 2024 National Youth Championships is taking place at the Home of the Matildas, added an extra layer of inspiration to the event.
The iconic venue - which opened exactly 12 months ago - provided a fitting backdrop for the emerging talent on display. Preparing for games and strapping on their boots in the same changing rooms used by the current CommBank Matildas adds an extra level of excitement for the players.
The venue's world-class facilities offered an ideal environment for players to showcase their skills while coaches and technical directors had the perfect setting to scout the next generation of stars, making the most of the top-notch amenities available.
National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament Day 1 Results
Under 15 Group A Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Western Australia: 3 (Theodora Mouithys Mickalad x2, Jessica Johnson) Invitational XI: 0 |
NSW Metro: 3 (Abbie Puckett, Tyra Bagiante & Matilda Dias Wadewitz) Capital Football: 0 |
Under 15 Group B Results:
| Game 1 | |
| South Australia: 0 Northern NSW: 1 (Lacey Dobson) |
Victoria Blue: 6 (Alexis Pantazopoulos x 2, Heidi Dalton, Joanna Zois, Lucy Simic & Emma Wilson Queensland Silver: 1 (Tanisha Winstanley) |
Under 16 Group C Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Queensland Maroon: 1 (Sienna ChamierBrumpton) Victoria White: 0 |
Tasmania: 0 NSW Country: 1 (Charlie Cramp) |
Under 16 Group A Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Queensland Silver: 0 Capital Football: 1 |
Northern NSW: 4 (Alexis Collins x2, Skyla Poole & Aaliyah Kilroy) Western Australia: 1 |
| NSW Metro vs BYE | |
| Game 2 | |
| Western Australia: 0 NSW Metro: 11 (Mackenzie Jeffs x5, Skye Halmarick x3, Tiana Fuller, Milla Singleton & Lauren Nada |
Queensland Silver: 2 (Jesse Levenson & Aaliyah Goodrum) Northern NSW: 1 (Alexis Collins) |
| Capital Football vs BYE | |
Under 16 Group B Results:
| Game 1 | |
| Queensland Maroon: 3 (Lily Punch x2 & Shayla Williams) Victoria: 4 (Leyla Hussein x2, Poppy O'Keeffe & Kaya Jugovic) |
NSW Country: 3 (Allyssa Ng Saad x 2 & Millie Peterson) South Australia: 1 (Emily Cozens) |
| Tasmania vs BYE | |
| Game 2 | |
| Queensland Marron: 7 (Lily Punch x3, Hollie Kuypers x2, Shayla Williams & Valentina Oberdan) Tasmania: 0 |
Victoria: South Australia: |
| NSW Country vs BYE | |
More on the National Youth Championships:
CLICK HERE to view the Official National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament Digital Program with Fixtures
CLICK HERE to watch* the National Youth Championships 2024 Girls' Tournament thanks to Kommunity TV (*subscription required)
CLICK HERE to view the latest results
