Sophia Varley walked into the Kingston Heath dressing rooms on March 14 and read something every aspiring footballer dreams of — VARLEY 30.
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Not written on a team sheet or a whiteboard, but printed on a jersey she was to don for a professional match.
From Finley, Varley now calls Melbourne City — arguably the nation's biggest football aristocracy — home, having penned her first professional contract earlier this month after spending the season training with the Citizens.
The 17-year-old shot-stopper might have to bide her time warming the bench — legendary Matildas custodian Melissa Barbieri remains City's starting keeper — but the teen talent appears destined for the top.
Varley caught up with the Youth Academy scouts to chat about her huge career milestone.
Soph-Var, so good
After two seasons with Goulburn Valley Suns, Varley headed to the famed Football Victoria National Talent Centre side, where she spent four seasons honing her skills and becoming one of the division's figurative brick walls. Representative honours have been in abundance in her short time in the game.
Youth Academy: How does it feel to sign with Melbourne City?
Sophia Varley: It’s very exciting. I’m going to be honest; I feel like I haven’t really taken it in yet. I hadn’t really realised until I rocked up on Sunday and saw my name on my shirt and experienced being in a professional environment. It didn’t feel real until I witnessed that.
YA: What conversations had you had with City prior to you signing?
SV: I’ve been a train-on for the whole season. I talked with (Melbourne City goalkeeper coach) Jordy Franken, who said if either of them gets injured, I'd get the call up. I didn’t really expect anything, I was trying to put in the work so I could get better and it was a great environment. Then I got the text that Teagan Micah was injured. This was right before I had a chemistry SAC, so I was like ‘why is he texting me?’. As much I didn’t want to see Teagan injured, I guess it worked in my favour.
YA: Where were you before joining City?
SV: I’d been at NTC, the girls state team, for four years. Last year I was in the Emerging Matildas. I was second goalkeeper there and now I’m first keeper for the season coming.
YA: Going from NTC to Melbourne City, what are the major differences you’ve seen?
SV: To be honest when I first started training, I had a lot of work to do. I wasn’t physically fit, there was a lot of conditioning involved to get me up to where they were at. It was a bit of a shock at first, but it showed me the step up to W-League and how much I had to put in to get to that level. I had a good base, I needed to fix a few things. Now I’m on the right track, I know what I need to put in, what I need to do better.
Glove to see it
Talented with ball at foot, Varley's potential to jump through the grades was identified when she got her hands involved as a goalkeeper. Aged 11 and already trialling for a representative side as an outfield player, an expert tip enabled her to stand out from the crowd and truly begin her journey to stardom.
YA: What made you want to play goalkeeper initially?
SV: At SSV trials for the under-12 team, Atila Kerestes told me I had a lot of potential as a goalkeeper, he was in charge of the trials at the time. When he said that, I said ‘all right, I’m a goalkeeper now'. I got picked as the emergency goalkeeper. I played GV Suns for a while, and being surrounded by boys, everything is higher intensity and you have to develop. When I was playing with boys, I was able to develop a lot more technical skills and that got me ahead of all the other goalkeepers in terms of distribution.
YA: Have there been any mentors you’ve looked up to in your career?
SV: Melissa Barbieri, who I train with, she’s been one I’ve looked up to for a long time. She’s captained the Matildas for a couple of years, she’s 41 and is still playing W-League. I’ve learned so much from being around her at City.
YA: What do you do away from football?
SV: At the moment I am studying like nothing else — either that or catching up with friends. Going home when I get the break, which doesn’t happen that often.
Tiki-taka
YA: What has been your favourite footballing moment?
SV: Probably walking into the rooms for my first W-League game, seeing my name on my shirt. It just reminds me of how you have to keep showing up, putting in the effort and you’ll finally get something back. You might not expect it, but you’ve always got to be ready for an opportunity like that.
YA: And what's been your least favourite footballing moment?
SV: Obviously you have the times when you stuff up and concede an easy goal, but I don’t think I’ve had a bad moment which has really put me off.
YA: Who is your footballing idol?
SV: For a goalkeeper, probably Lydia Williams. She is the best goalkeeper in Australia; she’s playing at Arsenal right now under coach Joe Montemurro and is killing it over there. She’s had her issues like everyone, but is giving it her all and kept going. She also makes books away from football — you don’t see it that often for professional women footballers.
YA: If you could play for any team in the world, who would it be?
SV: Arsenal. You watch them play and they are amazing. They are under a great coach, Joe Montemurro, he used to be in Victoria coaching. If I ever get the chance to go overseas, I’d love to play for them.
YA: What is next for you in terms of football?
SV: Everyone has aspirations to play for Australia and to go overseas and play for European clubs. At the moment I’m focusing on where I’m at and seeing where that takes me.
● Youth Academy is an ongoing investigation into the Goulburn Valley’s footballing wonderkids. Each episode will profile an upcoming talent who has captured the attention of the local football scene.
Senior journalist