In this week’s ‘WA On Wednesday’, Hyundai NTC’s Klaudia Houlis speaks to Ben Gilby about her footballing journey to date, and what it’s like to be part of the NTC set-up in Western Australia (24/7/24).
Above: Klaudia Houlis breaks through for Hyundai NTC at UWA-Nedlands on the opening day of this season. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Klaudia Houlis.
Klaudia Houlis has come a long way from kicking a ball around the playground at primary school during recess. The 16-year-old attacker has been part of the set-up at the NTC for six years and is now in her second season as part of the U18 side playing in NPLW WA football.
Houlis is one of those exciting young players that those who know Western Australian women’s football have been keeping an eye on for a fair while already. Consistently playing at an age group level higher than her actual age, the attacker has always shown flair and a canny ability to find the net at important times.
“When I step onto the football pitch, I feel my personality reflects the way I play. I am determined and I am confident, and this shows through the way that I try to win the ball back even if I’ve just lost it or I’ve made a mistake and I strive to fix it. I see myself as a proactive player always thinking ahead. My decisions always have reason even if execution isn’t there. I see myself as an aggressive and quick attacking player who is very experimental in the final third.”
Those qualities and abilities can be traced back to Houlis’ earliest days playing the game. “My journey started in primary school at recess and lunch playing football with all my friends.”
“I really came to love it, so at eight years old, my mum enrolled me at Olympic Kingsway Football Club. I was the only girl on my team, but I really loved the challenge.
During this time, me and my mum discovered the program SAP (Skills Acquisition Program). I was nine years old when I was accepted into the program, however, I continued to play with Olympic Kingsway at the same time. Whilst I was getting a grasp for the game, I realized I really enjoyed the attacking aspect of it. I knew I wanted to be a winger.
“At age 11, I trialed for NTC under 13s not expecting anything as I was very young and unaware of the future to come. My mum, after the trials were over, received a phone call inviting me to the under 14s NTC instead of under 13s. I was obviously extremely excited and nervous, but I knew it would be a challenge as I was just coming out of Primary school playing alongside girls in Years 9 and 10.
“Gavin Sit was my coach for my first year at NTC, He was a massive part in my development in making me more confident and allowing me to believe in myself. I then decided for the next season to stay in the same age group as I felt I still had some more development to endure and so much more to learn as I was still so young. Gavin was also my coach for that year (my second year at NTC).
“The following year I joined the NTC under 15s and for my fourth season in the program, I got into the under 16s NTC. This is where I was starting to become aware of how playing good football was the more difficult yet most effective way to play, Thanks to my coach Sam Geddes and assistant Conrad McKelvie who plays such a huge role in my footballing journey, who were also my coaches the year before as well.
“This was the year when I was awarded player of the year for NPL women under 21s in the league. I was overjoyed and so over the moon about this as I had worked incredibly that season. In 2023 I made a huge jump and got into the under-18s NTC, playing alongside players who had been in Junior and Young Matilda camps and who had trained with A-League teams.
“Playing with players with such experience inspired me so much and it further confirmed how serious I was about football being in my future. Coming to today’s date I am 16 years old, playing for the under-18s NTC in my sixth year of the program. Ben Anderton being my coach for the two years of being in NTC’s top team. He has been a major part of my development and the difference in my playing abilities from when I first got into the top team till now is significant his coaching style has shaped me as a player.
In terms of what it’s like for such a young player to come into the NTC set-up, Houlis outlined how different it is from what a player of her age at a club side would experience.
“It is much more in detail and developmental than a local club. NTC, although being an incredible development centre for young girls aspiring to be footballers is a lengthy, challenging process in relation to time out of your day-to-day life. I am so grateful for the driving my mum did taking me from training to training at some stages five times a week.”
Those years of hard work and the support of her family are leading to real rewards for Houlis. Last year, she stepped up to the U18 NTC side who play in the NPLW WA. It was a year playing alongside some exceptionally talented players, a large number of whom earned A-League Women contracts – and there was also silverware for the side when they won the State Cup Final. Looking back at the 2023, the teenager has some brilliant memories.
“My biggest challenge so far as a football player has been stepping up from the under 16s NTC to the under 18s NTC because I was going into a completely new football world with experienced and unimaginably talented football players. I struggled in the beginning, as I was not only training with new players but also playing a new playing style due to the change of coach and age group. However, I picked up very quickly and thoroughly enjoyed the entire season. I felt so inspired that season as I had so many people to look up to.
“Last season was the most inspiring season I have played. I had so many incredible players to look up to and I like to think that some of their football attributes rubbed off on me. For example, Tanika Lala’s willingness to score, Grace Johnston’s proactiveness, Georgia Cassidy’s cheeky and deceptive playing style, and Mischa Anderson’s strength and physicality. Even though I cannot live up to how well they play at this time, I will always use these players as my role models.”
It wasn’t just the players on her team that were inspirational for Houlis in 2023, one of the real challenges of playing for the NTC is that you are in a team made up of teenagers playing against experienced adult players, some of whom have played a considerable number of A-League Women games. Physically and mentally, it’s a task.
“Being a young player in an experienced league can be quite challenging at times. But I feel as if playing outside your comfort zone is a mental game, dwelling and overthinking the way you play will not help. You just need to play how you play and be determined.
“I think that matching your opponents physically is a result of matching them mentally. Obviously, you need to train hard and work hard but the mental aspect is just as important. You cannot compare your age, experience, physicality, and technicality with your opponents but you should accept them and work around them with your strengths.”
The NTC’s 2024 campaign has been one of looking to bed-in some new players. Houlis has already caught the eye with goals, but the attacker feels there is a lot more to come.
“I think that the team’s performances so far have seen us, in some parts play very good football, and our determination shows through the way we are defensively. However, I know we have so much more to show in the final third, more shots and more desire but on the flip side, recognize when it’s time for the game to slow down.
“I think for me personally my performance so far has been average. There have been some very good attacking moments but I feel like I’m lacking aggressiveness for runs in behind and some spice.”
Whilst Houlis is immediately focused in reaching her peak form for the NTC this year, she wants to use the opportunities she has within Ben Anderton’s squad as a springboard for her career as she approaches adulthood.
“My football aspirations for the future include going to a Junior or Young Matilda camp, but a wider goal than that is to be contracted for an A-League team. It would be a dream and such an amazing experience, but those things do not come easy. I will have to work incredibly hard. I need to train so hard, reflect on myself, and have an extremely determined attitude.”
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