Western United’s Women’s Development Squad has taken to the training pitch for the first time in 2022 ahead of a landmark year for women’s football at the Club.
Fresh from winning a fourth consecutive Nike F.C. Cup in December, Calder United head coach Mark Torcaso led the group that is filled with star players from his Calder outfit.
The players reported for training at City Vista Recreation Reserve this morning and were put through their paces in the first session back.
Western United Women’s Football Integration Manager and Calder United President Amanda Stella is excited to see the players back with plenty of big things to come in 2022.
“With a couple of exhibition games coming up and a trip to Tassie, the group are really looking forward to the next couple of months as we get closer to our inaugural A-League Women’s team for the 2022/23 season,” she said.
“The girls know this is an amazing opportunity to get a chance to go to that next level and they bring so much enthusiasm to training during this exciting time at the Club.
“We have a very talented group of players that are putting in the extra work now that gives us the ability to be building towards our A-League Women’s team for later this year.”
For the players, the NPLW season is just under two months away and these sessions will provide the perfect added preparation ahead of the opening weekend of the season, as well as embedding them in the Western United way for the future.
After the initial success of the program when it began in August last year, it was imperative that the Club brought it back ahead of receiving its A-League Women licence.
Torcaso said he was delighted to be back on the training track again and looking forward to the weeks ahead in the program.
“It was really good (to be back). It’s obviously been a tough time the last couple of months but the girls were rapt to be out there, the staff, myself and all the coaches – it’s good to be out training again and seeing some familiar faces,” he said.
Torcaso said he has seen a slight increase in motivation in the squad as each player looks to land a place in the final A-League Women roster.
“The professionalism in our program is great, we’ve got the medical staff, we’re training at a really good facility. For the girls, they know that it’s (A-League Women) around the corner, and they’re highly motivated.”
Western United Women’s Development Squad set to shape up in the coming months
The group welcomed a couple of young players out of the NTC program for the first time, joining the previous contingent of women from the likes of South Melbourne and Alamein FC.
Torcaso explained they will be the only changes to the group over the first eight weeks of the program in 2022, while more changes will come two additional eight-week training cycles.
“The third lot of eight weeks will look to identify which core group start moving towards the A-League squad, while keeping good core continuing training,” Torcaso said.
This program continues Western United’s commitment to open football possibilities to everyone in the West and the Club eagerly awaits the continued development of its women’s program.
