Perth Hills United soccer girls do WA proud

Two girls from the eastern hills have starred for Western Australia in the national Under-14s girls’ soccer championships.

Emily Henderson and Emma Leaning have just returned from the 2011 Westfield National Youth Championships for Girls held in Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.  Both Emily and Emma played for Perth Hills United and are now members of WA’s Under-15s National Training Centre team.  Two more Perth Hills United players, Rachel Sands and Mikayla Romyn, were considered for WA’s Under-14s team.

The WA Under-14s team played four matches in its Group B pool and starred by remaining undefeated in three of them. Another highlight was a 2-0 non-points victory against competition Group A heavyweights Northern NSW.

Emily and Emma scored an impressive five goals of Western Australia’s total of 12, with Emily scoring three and Emma scoring two, one from a trademark free-kick. Emily Henderson was rewarded for her stand-out performance by being selected in the U14’s girls ‘All Stars’ team of the tournament.  She was also recognised at last year’s Under 13s National Championships with ‘All Stars’ selection and even received a national call-up in 2010, playing for Australia at a tournament in Vietnam.

Overall, the WA Under 14’s finished their group in second place, behind the undefeated Queensland.

Emily, Emma, Rachel and Mikayla were all members of Perth Hills United’s champion Under-13s girls team, which won the 2010 ‘Top-4’ Cup for Football West’s ‘Smarter than Smoking’ Under-13s Girls Premier Division and the overall 13s Girls Cup.  Perth Hills United is based at the Harry Riseborough Oval in Hartung Street, Mundaring and has a web site at: www.phufc.com.au