by Ben Gilby (12/12/24)
Above: ParaMatildas’ head coach Kelly Stirton addresses the media. Photo: Mark Avellino. Supplied to Impetus by: Football Australia.
Kelly Stirton has just made history. The first person to coach an Australian football team to victory in a World Cup Final. Her team did it the hard way, coming back from 2-0 down to the USA after six minutes, which just goes to prove the spirit and belief she has instilled in her players.
“The first six minutes were not what we expected,” Stirton admitted. “We went in with a game plan, the first ten minutes we were a bit slower. However, after the first goal, we saw a spark in the girls and the game plan started to come into action. Combinations were connecting and defensively we stayed strong.”
Those connections and defensive organisation ensured that the team hit back to win 6-2 against the nation that defeated them in the previous World Cup Final.
The ParaMatildas went into their second World Cup on the back of an Asia-Oceania Cup in November 2023. The head coach recognised how important this achievement was both in terms of adjusting style, and gaining further confidence and belief.
“We changed our tactics to suit a more futsal style of play, the ParaMatildas boss said. “It has taken 10 months to get it to where we knew other teams would struggle to defend and break us down.”
The team went into the previous World Cup in 2022 as a new entity. It was an experience that Stirton learned a lot from, and it provided the initial building blocks for their success this time round.
“We only had six weeks to prepare (last time) where as leading into this World Cup, we had two years to rebuild and structure our environment into more high performance to allow our athletes to grow and build into world champions,” Stirton said.
Talking to any member of the ParaMatildas set-up, one of the things that strike you instantly is the sheer belief and determination among everyone to go the extra kilometre in order to reach their aims. That and the fact that they know each other so well that individual skill sets come together perfectly to create a hugely powerful squad. It’s something that Stirton is immensely proud of.
“Each member of the squad brings different strengths on and off the field,” she said. “They bond well together and know how each other adapts in different environments. They all have different playing styles which complement each other.”
Stirton has hit the heights of being a World Cup-winning coach after just six years in the role of a head coach. It’s something that she still finds difficult to compute.
“It has been amazing. It has always been a dream to coach at such a high level and to be able to do this is something special. To now say we have done all we can with winning both the Asia Cup and World Cup is something unimaginable and I pinch myself every day.”
Stirton is an inspirational leader – all the ParaMatildas players have made no secret of that. She is successful in multiple different roles, and that makes her more than just a regular international head coach.
“I have two beautiful kids who keep me busy, I own my own coaching business (the inclusive football coach) and work as the CEO of Basketball ACT. I also coach at the South Canberra Football Club in the Division One women’s competition. We’re one of the best clubs around.”
Stirton’s status now gives her an important place in setting standards for the future of the women’s Para Football program in Australia. In terms of what needs to happen to ensure that the ParaMatildas remain at the top of the global game, the head coach is clear. “We need to create pathways for our youth.”
“We can’t grow without a youth development program. This comes down to funding and the backing of Football Australia…I really want to see the sport grow and I want to be able to help Australia do it. It’s a passion and I love it. My athletes and staff are my family and our journey has just begun.”
Stirton ended with a message for everyone who her team of champions have inspired over the past two years. No matter who you are, and whatever challenges you face, it’s a powerful statement.
“Don’t give up on your dreams, no matter what disability you have. The world is your oyster, and we are here to help you through that journey.”
This is the third in Impetus‘ four-part series of exclusive interviews with the ParaMatildas’ World Cup winners. Read all of them via the links below:
PART ONE: KAITLYN SMITH: https://impetusfootball.org/2024/12/10/katelyn-smith-we-bloody-did-it-but-man-it-was-a-rollercoaster-to-get-there/
PART TWO: TAHLIA BLANSHARD: https://impetusfootball.org/2024/12/11/tahlia-blanshard-this-is-only-the-beginning/
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