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Sam, Jade and Maddie Emms will all be playing representative soccer in the coming weeks. The 3 sisters are excelling in their chosen sport of soccer and all began their careers at Robert’s Park, with the Harden Soccer Club.
The Emms girls are pretty close. You can tell by the way they jump from the car at Robert’s Park and immediately spring in to action, kicking the soccer ball back and forth to each other. It appears they are taking any chance to further hone their skills and improve themselves in their chosen sport.
Jade Emms is the youngest of the 3 and at 12 has just been selected for the Riverina girl’s side. She has taken to the round ball game with gusto and it’s her first year that she could qualify for Riverina after already making the South West Slopes side. When she heard the news, “I started screaming, I checked the team list on my phone and saw my name.” Jade is a striker and is a natural right footer and enjoys playing for Harden but expects the challenge to become greater at the next level.
Maddie Emms has made the CHS Riverina side, an open side which includes students up to Year 12. She began playing soccer at 13 and the Year 10 student is a bit of an anomaly. Maddie found out on the day she trialled that she had made the side. She is naturally right-footed but plays left back. Cindy said, “The joke with the coaches is that if we put her on the right side she gets lost.” Maddie is currently playing for the First Grade Cootamundra Strikers. It’s a step up from junior soccer that she is relishing. “You really have to stand your own ground on the field: it’s very physical, but the club and the ladies are so nice.” The love for the round ball, world game, is evident, as Maddie and Jade head off to kick the ball to each other while Sam and Cindy continue to be interviewed.
Sam Emms is a goal keeper. The 13 year old plays in the 15/16s Harden side. She decided to be a goal keeper when representing South West. She said, “Bronwyn Ryan put me in there for a try when we didn’t have a keeper and I haven’t really come out since. I’ve found a home there. The right-footer gets to play Centre Mid-field for the Harden side to mix things up but at representative level she stays in goal. When asked what she likes about the position she said, “It’s the joy of saving the goal.” Goal keeping can be lonely and they rarely come across their opposite number. Sam made the U14s Riverina side and has received an invitation from the Wagga Goal Keeping Coach to trial for Country New South Wales. If she makes the side she will play at the Nationals. It is the same team she was a shadow player for last season.
Cindy said, “She has had some great support from the club and from Craig ‘Magic’ Phillis who has given up his own time to train her. Although it’s probably not Mag’s forte, he has spent a lot of time helping her and it shows, she is up there with the other players.” Cindy said, “In the past Sam has made it but they all live and breathe soccer. A lot of sisters may be selected over different years but rarely 3 in the same year.” The family do a lot of travelling. “Like parents with kids doing sport in the country, you travel a lot and do a lot of miles. They train in Wagga on Friday nights. Sam has now been invited to train with a Goal Keeping coach on Monday nights and they travel to Coota for South West training.” Travel can take in different parts of the state. “I love watching all of them play. Watching Sam can be nerve racking, she dived on a ball last week and got a kick to the face. The older they get the more physical they get. Brooke was unable to trial this year due to her age, but will next year.” If Brooke is successful that will make sister number four on the rep scene. The girls make friends all over the countryside and are putting Harden soccer squarely on the map. Greg Brown and the committee do a great job every year in helping the players achieve their goals. For the girls, Robert’s Park is home: however, their soccer is taking them to other places as well now.
