Caitlin Foord has become a household name after starring for the Westfield Matildas and featuring in 100 Westfield W-League matches. However, a very different player made her debut for Sydney FC in the 2010/11 season.
Starting her career at right-back, Foord has developed into a completely different player. She has establishing herself as one of the best attackers in the game. However, she credits her time in the backline for earning her a ticket to the 2011 World Cup.
“I mean I look back on that first W-League game and I think that was the start of my journey and my career,” she said to w-league.com.au
“I started as a right back, it was nerve wracking because that wasn’t my position obviously but Staj [Alen Stajcic] was the coach and that was the role that was empty and he obviously believed and though that I could do the job for that position.
“Off that first season, I got called into my first national team camp and not long after that the World Cup.”
For Foord, being able to play alongside and against players she’d grown up watching made the Westfield W-League an exciting challenge.
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After securing a Premiership and Championship with Sydney FC, she was ready for a change and took her talents west for an extremely successful season with Perth Glory.
”That was probably one of my favourite seasons,“ she added.
”The team was super close, we won the premiership but unfortunately lost the grand final but we went undefeated all season and just lost at the end.”
“Obviously when you’re winning games and doing well you can’t really complain about a season.
“It was disappointing not to finish off what would have been an amazing run.
“It was a super, super fun season and one I’ll definitely remember”
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“The next year at Glory wasn’t so good, which is when I knew it was time to make the switch back to Sydney, to home where I belonged.”
Foord not only changed postcodes put positions, moving up front on her return to Sydney. She also found herself taking on more responsibility within the team as she was now one of the more experienced players in the team.
“I don’t necessarily see myself as ‘I’m going to be a leader’, [but] it’s kind of what comes with it,” she said.
“I guess I’m more aware of it and I guess players do look to me to see what I’m doing and you’ve got to set the right example.”
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One teammate who obviously thinks she sets a good example is Sydney FC captain Teresa Polias, who handed Foord the captain’s armband in honour of her 100th game.
“In the change room, she told me she wanted me to wear the captain’s armband.
“She said ‘this is a big achievement, I want you to wear it today’.”
With 100 Westfield W-League games just the latest on a long list of accolades, it is hard to think what else Foord hopes to achieve in her career but she remains focused on just delivering the best performance she can in every game she plays.
“To become the highest goal scorer in the W-League or to win the Julie Dolan would be a big achievement,” the 25-year-old said.
“Those awards would be nice but I’m not going to put my focus on those.
“I just believe that when you have a good season and a good run those awards come with it.
“I was at the back for a little while and then moved forward. I’m still trying to be better in front of goal and that’s obviously scoring goals, assisting goals and doing whatever I can to help the team”
Sydney FC play host to Melbourne City on Sunday, 8 December as the two undefeated heavyweights go head-to-head in Westfield W-League Round 4. The match at Cromer Park kick-offs at 4pm AEDT.
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