Western United has confirmed the members of its Women’s Development Squad ahead of the team’s trip to Tasmania for the Macca’s Festival of Football over the Easter Weekend.
The squad, led by Calder United head coach Mark Torcaso, will take on a Tasmanian Select XI on Tuesday April 19 as a curtain raiser to United’s men’s match against Macarthur FC at UTAS Stadium.
Torcaso said he is delighted to be guiding the players and is looking forward to the opportunity to see them play in Launceston.
“I’m really excited because it’s obviously something we’ve been working towards. This program was always about trying to develop individuals and get stuff out of players they wouldn’t normally get out of their club,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity for them to show what they’ve learnt, but more importantly to represent Western United as a girl’s academy program.”
Torcaso said while he would love to be able to win the game on Tuesday, it will be the sense of occasion and the opportunity presented to all the players that will provide the overriding enthusiasm.
“It’s about getting players out on the partk, letting them enjoy it and feel what it’s like to represent a professional organisation,” he said.
“The first time in a Western United shirt in a fantastic arena, an amazing arena. It’ll be really good to feel it, to get everyone excited and buzzing to play and hopefully perform.
“The important thing for us is to put it out there that the women’s program at Western United is there, and to help Tasmania improve their female programs as well.”
Western United Women’s Football Integration Manager Amanda Stella said this will be just the first in a long line of landmark moments to come for the Club.
“It’s the first of many achievements. We’ve done a few things where Calder United have played before a game or gone to Tassie, but I think this one is special because it is Western United. I’d like to acknowledge the support that I’ve had from Chris Pehlivanis (Western United CEO) and the Board in making a dream and a vision come to fruition,” she said.
Stella added that, as Calder United President, it will be a special moment to see a number of players that have played at Calder from the outset be among those to represent Western United for the first time.
“There are a couple of girls in the squad that have been at the club since day one. To have some players there that started at Calder at Under 13’s and Under 15’s, to now be in this position is extremely rewarding.”
The squad features a number of Calder United NPLW Senior’s players but is also populated with players from a number of other clubs across Victoria.
The Women’s Development Squad has been training since the beginning of 2022 after an initial training period last year, and will continue to be hard at work with Western United’s A-League Women licence around the corner.
The match will be livestreamed on YouTube, with further details to come shortly.
Full Western United Women’s Development Squad
- Alyssa DallÓste
- Lara El Hayek
- Natasha Dakic
- Navleen Kaur
- Alyssa Smith
- Julia Sardo
- Akeisha Sandu
- Fiorina Iaria
- Alycia Eicke
- Maia Heysen
- Adriana Taranto
- Melissa Taranto
- Alana Cerne
- Montanna Mathews
- Cori Cain
- Raquel Deralas
- Elle Talevski
- Olivia De La Plaza Sanchez
- Tiarna Stella
- Caitlin Pickett
- Aleksandra Sinclair
- Ava Groba
- Olivia Anderson
- Erika Di Tella
- Alana Siccita
- Ashton Conkling
