By JARROD POTTER
WHETHER defending the goals or streaming through the midfield, Monbulk soccer player Clare Di Stefano is charging ahead with her beloved sport.
Di Stefano, 15, from Emerald, has been selected as a goalkeeper for the Victorian Churches Football Association (VCFA) under-16 team, set to take on the rest of the country at the Christian Football Federation Australia (CFFA) National Championships, held this year in Sydney.
She splits her local soccer between Monbulk’s Division 1 Churches league team and the under-18s in Football Federation Victoria (FFV) competition.
She’s quirky for a goalkeeper as that’s not where she always likes to play – splitting her time between keeping for Monbulk in the Churches league and playing as a midfielder/wing for her FFV league team.
While she loves the goals most of all, sometimes a change is good to stay fresh and interested in the sport.
“I’m probably better in goals, but I still like to have a shot on the field,” Di Stefano said.
“I do enjoy goals probably a bit more.
“They (Monbulk FFV) ask me all the time if I want to play keeper with them, but I want to have a shot out on the field.
“I love being keeper, but once you’re a keeper, you stay there.”
She’s excited to get out and don the Victorian colours again as her prior experience a couple of years ago was a great learning curve.
“It’s a bit of good fun – last time we did it felt like a professional set-up – so it would be fun to do our best and try to win, but we’ll see how we go,” she said.
On the horizon of her soccer progression, she wants to aim towards the North American college system and is already within a scouting and recruiting program to help her develop.
Last year, without a VCFA team to represent at the nationals, Di Stefano turned to cycling and completed the 610-kilometre Great Victorian Bike Race, traversing the roads from Mount Gambier to Geelong.
“I just did it for fun as I enjoy fitness – there wasn’t a team for this (soccer) – last year, so I thought I’d give it a go,” Di Stefano said.
“Bit of an accomplishment to see other people stopping and knowing you can do it.”
Di Stefano wanted to thank her family, coaches and Monbulk for their support of her soccer journey.
“Thank my dad – always takes me and gives me these opportunities – and all of my past and present coaches and the Monbulk Soccer Club.”
“Thank the team too – I work well with my team – they help me develop and we work with each other to help us improve,” she said.
If anyone would like to sponsor Clare Di Stefano and her Victorian representative journey, contact cdistefano@stjosephs.com.au for more information.
The championships run in Sydney from 28 September to 2 October.
