By NIKKI TODD
SIX years ago, Pottsville’s open women’s soccer team lost their first game 19 goals to nil.
This week the team, affectionately labelled The Potty Girls by their coach, are celebrating not only their first minor premiership win but also their first grand final victory in Football Far North Coast’s Women’s fourth division.
Pottsville’s win came after downing Goonellabah 1-0 in a tightly fought contest at Lismore’s Oakes Oval on 15 September.
“We won – as we say, we finally bloody scored,’’ team caption Jude Robinson said.
“We never, ever thought we’d win anything, it’s so exciting. It’s been a good five years, I think we’ve all really grown.’’
The victory was a far cry from the team’s first outing six years ago when they were pummelled 19-0.
“Most of us had no idea, I remember running on that field not even knowing where to stand,’’ Robinson said.
“Nineteen-nil we lost – I remember getting on the field and these balls were just flying past our faces like rockets … we didn’t know what we’d got ourselves into but by the end of that season we got really good at defence.
“It was only just recently we started to work on attack and score some goals.’’
And score some goals they have, finishing second in the comp last year and taking out the minor premiership based on goal average this season, before advancing to the grand final.
Comprised mainly of mums as well as a few mum and daughter combinations, the team’s members range in age from 16 to 54 years, of varying degrees of fitness and skill.
Robinson lays much of the credit at the feet of the team’s coach Aaron Lee, who took up the reins five years ago at the tender age of just 19.
“We were all really pleased to win for our coach Aaron Lee, we had to work really hard,’’ Robinson said.
“We love him, he didn’t just stick us on the bench, we’ve got so much better, it’s a lovely bunch of girls just having some good fun.’’
It was a particularly sweet victory for Lee, who announced at the team’s presentation on Saturday he would be standing down next season as he prepares to marry next year.
“The girls have come so far,’’ Lee said.
“Six years ago they were basically just a team of housewives who wanted to get a bit of stress relief.
“I ended up putting my hand up because they couldn’t get a coach. Before I knew it there were 14 girls putting their hand up and every year since that we’ve had a team of 18-plus. It’s been good.
“They’ve turned it from a social thing into something a bit more competitive.’’
