Not long after graduating from the Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane Roar new recruit Rebekah Stott is keen to pull on an orange jersey and show her skills on the field alongside the rest of the Roar Women.
After training with the team for over a year, the young defender is falling into a good rhythm and is finding the transition from the QAS to the Westfield W-League easier than she originally thought.
“There isn-t any huge differences cause some of the older girls were at the QAS as well,” Stott said.
With six of the team overseas on Westfield Matildas duty during Brisbane-s pre-season training, there was a good opportunity for both Stott and fellow QAS graduate Erika Elze to get in some valuable practice.
“It was hard while all the older girls were away,” she said.
“But the other girls who weren-t overseas showed us a lot so it was still good.”
Roar Women Coach Jeff Hopkins said that the two young graduates were fitting in well with the senior girls, saying he could tell they are busting to get on the field.
“The senior girls have seen them come through as young girls and over the last 18 months or so they have seen them mature and develop and the senior girls have helped the process,” he said.
“They are fitting in really well, no problems at all.”
According to Hopkins, the real test will come when the girls play their first game and prove that they can handle themselves out on the field.
“I am confident in their abilities as footballers,” he said.
“I know when they have a chance they will grab it with both hands and enjoy the opportunity to get involved.”
