Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations Ellie Carpenter, Western Sydney Wanderers W-League team central defender on her win as this year's Parramatta Advertiser Junior Sports Star. She won the award over a talented field of dozens of other local rising stars. Ellie's decision to leave her family and friends in Cowra and move to Sydney to further her footballing ambitions has certainly paid off for her and for all of us who have watched her play.

But the accolades for Ellie go far beyond the local. At only 15 years of age, Ellie has already played in the under-16 and under-20 national girl's football teams. Her consistent form and flair has seen her selected to attend training camps with the senior women's team, the Matildas, and was named Best W-League Newcomer of the year by the Women's Game website—an award chosen from all players in all teams who play in the W-League competition. That is good work from our Pemulwuy local.

Our national team, the Matildas, has enjoyed great success at World Cups and won the coveted Asian Cup in 2010. The team is currently in Japan playing for qualification at the Rio Olympics. Continued broadcast of the W League competition on free-to-air TV and the scheduling of games as double-headers with A-league fixtures are bringing many new fans to the women's game. Young girls and women are being inspired to take up the world game by the confidence on the ball, drilling skills and exciting style of play exhibited by players such as Ellie Carpenter. Registrations are now open at football clubs across the Parramatta electorate for anyone who wants to sign up. You will not all be future starts like Ellie, but it will be worth it and the benefits will last a lifetime.