Looking up to Heather Garriock as a youngster, Sydney FC’s Nicola Bolger is hoping to inspire the next generation of female footballers with the Westfield Matildas exploits at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015.
Bolger is hopeful of creating a prosperous future for women’s football in Australia as she set her sights on the Matildas quarter final clash against reigning World Champions Japan to be played on Sunday in Edmonton (kick off 6am AEST).
“Heather Garriock was one I looked up to being from Sydney,” Bolger said.
“I remember going to NSWIS when I was only 11 and started training with her and looked to her as a massive Matilda and a star of the game so she was one that inspired me.
“It’s great to think now that 23 or 30 of us could be inspiring girls back home, names are getting bigger and the Matildas are getting bigger and that’s what it’s all about.
“When I was young, if something like this existed it would have been greater motivation. If one girl can inspire just one girl back home, it’s a stepping stone to just create a future that is so possible. We all want it and what we’re doing, we’re doing for everyone back home.
“We obviously have a lot of history playing against Japan being from Asia, they’re a top side just like a lot of other countries still in the competition,” she continued.
“We know what we’d be up against. We know that any team you’re going to face in the competition is obviously going to be good but there is a lot history against Japan so that would be a good match up.”
With the Final within touching distance Bolger said the squad were full of confidence heading into Sunday’s monumental game, as the Sky Blues midfielder said the girls can go all the way in the tournament.
“To be honest we have a lot of belief and we have from the start,” she said
“But we focus one game at a time. We’re not looking beyond our game on Saturday (Sunday Australian time), obviously we have a lot of confidence and belief in our team but we just focus on the game and that should take care of itself.
“We came off the field in our previous performances and we think we’ve done good and got the job done but we still know there is so much room even beyond this World Cup,” she continued.
“It is quite scary to think we’ve got so much depth and so much talent and so much belief so hopefully we can just continue to grow in this tournament.”
The Westfield Matildas will face reigning World Champions Japan on Sunday in the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter final (kick off 6am AEST).
Westfield Matildas and Sydney FC striker Kyah Simon is up for nomination to appear on the FIFA 16 cover next to Lionel Messi but she needs your support! Click here to vote for Kyah to appear on the cover and share on social media using #CoverVoteAU.
