| Every kick's a winner for Golebiowski 17/04/2002 SEVEN years ago, Kelly Golebiowski spent her lunchtimes kicking a soccer ball around the playground with Harry Kewell at Westfields Sports High School. Today her own career is flying sky high playing for the Australian Matildas and soon she heads off to the US to play semi-professional soccer in Virginia. Not bad for a 20-year-old from Kings Langley. "It is a totally different world over there where it's bigger and better with a higher standard, and women players are treated differently and are more respected" she said. She was the joint leading scorer in the WNSL as striker for the NSW Sapphires, who lost 1-0 to the Canberra Eclipse in the recent WNSL grand final. Despite her endeavours and the further milestones ahead of her, she still has her feet firmly on the ground, working two days a week at an animal products factory in Arndell Park. "It is very hard to find a job and earn a living that fits in with my soccer, with the training, matches and going away on camps and tours that goes with it," Golebiowski said. "Australian women soccer players don't get paid and, therefore, I want to see the sport gain a bigger profile in the near future." This is despite finishing eighth in the 1999 World Cup. As one of the most successful sportswomen to come out of Westfields Sports High, she owes it to the important role the school played in her career. "It was a starting platform for my career and I don't have a bad word to say about the school - the teachers, coaches and facilities were excellent," she said. And what about training with Harry Kewell? "I don't even remember much of it now but to us he was just one of the guys." She has been in the Matildas squad since she was 14 and is about to embark on another tour to France. "It made me grew up very quickly, staying away from home and balancing soccer with school but I enjoyed it." Her major goal for 2002 is to secure a position in the starting line-up of the Matildas when they start their 2003 World Cup campaign in November. She also wants to make the professional league in the US. Original article can be found here: http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/read.asp?article=3061554.txt&s=archive |