Youngest ever A-League debutant at 14 also has cricket in the bag
It’s not often you get to better Matildas gun Sam Kerr for a slice of homegrown football history but this hip-hop loving Aussie teen has done just that as a rising star in two ball sports at just 14
READING LEVEL: GREEN
It’s not often you get to better Matildas and Chelsea gun Sam Kerr in anything football related but this young sporting prodigy* has, as a star in two different sports, and it’s pretty incredible.New South Wales teenager Willa Pearson became the youngest player to debut* in the A-League on Saturday, playing for Sydney FC at just 14 years and 312 days of age. A day later, she then hit the cricket pitch on Sunday in the Brewer Cup as wicketkeeper with her Manly Warringah teammates.
On Monday, she was back at school at Pymble Ladies College, the Sydney alma mater* of her hero: former Matilda and Australian cricket great Ellyse Perry. In the coming week, she’ll balance study, an exam in Chinese on Wednesday, four football training sessions and two for cricket before hitting both pitches again on the weekend.
As hectic as it is, Willa is loving every minute, despite a massive bout of nerves before Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Melbourne City at Leichhardt Oval.
“I just love any sport with a ball and playing in a team,’’ said Willa, a wicketkeeper in school, club and representative cricket and a defender with Sydney FC and the Junior Matildas.
“Ellyse Perry, I think her ability to do both (cricket and football) and play for her country is just amazing. She is an amazing role model.’’
Willa eclipsed the previous youngest player record last set by Wanderers player Ischia Brooking (14 years and 347 days in 2023). She also moved well ahead of Talia Younis (14 years and 361 days, Western Sydney Wanderers, 2023), Sam Kerr (15 years and 45 days, Perth Glory, 2008) and Sydney FC teammate Alyssa Rose (15 years and 84 days, 2017).
Willa, who is in the NSW U15s, Australia all schools cricket squad and the NSW metro squad, lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and is also a member of the Belrose Terrey Hills Raiders football club.
The teen said many of her club teammates along with family and friends were in the crowd on Saturday to see her history-making debut.
“I saw the team sheet 30 minutes before and the girls all got around me,’’ she said.
“Ante* said to them, ‘Treat her like a little sister’ and it was amazing.
“It was very overwhelming. The last five minutes we were constantly defending and at the end of the game I just sat down, then had a bit of a lie down I was so exhausted.”
POLL
GLOSSARY
- prodigy: someone with great ability that usually appears when that person is very young
- debut: the first public appearance of a player, artist, actor, musician and so on
- alma mater: the school, college, or university where you studied
- Ante: Ante Juric coaches the Sydney FC women’s team and is a former Junior Matildas coach
EXTRA READING
What went wrong for the Matildas?
Teen Socceroo taking on the world
Tiny nature makes FIFA World Cup
QUICK QUIZ
- What are the two sports Willa Pearson has in common with Australian cricketer Allyse Perry?
- What is something else they share?
- What was historic about Willa’s first game for Sydney FC on Saturday?
- Which team did Sydney FC play on Saturday and what was the final score?
- When was the youngest player record last broke, by whom, for which club and at what age?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Sporting star
If you were Willa’s parents, what limits or constraints might you consider to help Willa protect her mind and body while training and playing more than one elite sport at such a young age? Talk with a classmate and list some ideas below:
–
–
–
–
–
Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
Do you think Willa will be able to manage more than sport at an elite level or have to choose between one or another? What might help make her decision?
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Girls in sport
There are many sports in which we’re seeing an increase in female participants. What sports have you noticed, or maybe joined yourself, where you have seen an increase in the number of girls now playing? How do you feel about this? Why do you feel this way? Do you think it’s a positive shift? Why/why not?
Use your VCOP to express how you feel towards girls taking up more sporting roles. Explain why you feel this way. Use your emotive language to express your point of view.