HOW FAR WILL THIS TEENAGER GO

HOW FAR WILL THIS TEENAGER GO
Former Matilda Joey Peters believes all the way

By Greg Danvers
Bill Turner Media (Tuesday September 15, 2009)

MAKE a mental note of this name, TARA ANDREWS, a star of the future.  Just 15 years old and already a national representative and there are many more international caps awaiting the tall striker.

Tara Andrews has played in the last four Bill Turner Trophy finals series with Hunter Spots High and while the tournament cannot and will not claim to have unearthed this multi talented footballer Tara has certainly brought prestige to the 15-and-under High Schools knock-out football tournament.

The [Newcastle] Herald today reported, on page 33, that Tara has been trialing for a place in the Newcastle Jets W-League squad – the Bill Turner Cup and Trophy committee wish her well.

Joey Peters told Bill Turner Media Tara has the ability and commitment to make it to the top and Joey should know what it takes after more than 100 appearances for Australia.

Joey said of Tara: “I love watching Tara play. Nearly every time she gets the ball I’m up off the seat and that’s a sign of a good player that’s dangerous every time they get the ball.

“That’s a sign of a special player. There’s not many of them in Australia. Someone that every time they get the ball will do something really affective with it. Tara showed in her particular age group how good and how outstanding she is that particular area.

“The sign of a top athlete is that they look like they have a lot of extra time on the ball and that’s what Tara creates for herself whenever she gets the ball. She just seems like she’s got so much time – that comes from the good touch, the good balance, the athleticism and she makes good decisions as well.

“The other top quality is that Tara has a good head on her shoulders, she shows maturity beyond her years and you need that to be a top footballer.”

In an articulate interview with Bill Turner Media Hunter Sports High Year 10 student Tara said: “I’ve been playing football for five years, since I was 10 and have played for Hunter Sports High in the Bill Turner Trophy since Year 7.”

Tara was last week named in the Australian under-17 squad for the final qualification stage to determine the Asian Football Confederation’s representatives at the 2010 under-17 Women’s World Cup in Trinidad.

Tara leaves for warm up matches in Burma on October 6 before flying into Bangkok for matches against China, Japan and Chinese Taipei.

“It s very exciting to be going overseas and to be playing for Australia,” Tara said. “I went to New Zealand early last year for a friendly tournament and at the end of last year I went to Malaysia for [Women’s under-17] World Cup qualifying tournament.”

Tara spoke of the work that has gone into making the journey from club football with Merewether United to the international arena.

“Train hard and keep playing as best you can, determination and commitment if you want to do it,’’ she said. “I’ve concentrated on what I want to achieve for a long time, with different coaches you need to take in something from each of them and put it all together.”

Tara has played Netball for many years and continues with that as a release from football.

“You need an outlet,’’ Tara said.

The Andrews family is a tight knit unit and with Tara the youngest of four children the road to national honors has not been easy. Tara’s older brother has Down syndrome which places a strain on the family resources.

“My family supports me a lot,” Tara said. “We are very close and I’m just so lucky I’m not disadvantaged or have a disability.”

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