Football Federation Australia (FFA) and NAB, together with Sydney FC are proud to announce Amy Harrison as the December nominee for the Westfield W-League NAB Young Footballer of the Year 2015/16 Award.
Harrison’s nomination is bittersweet for the defender after confirmation that she will undergo a knee reconstruction and be sidelined for up to a year following an injury she suffered against Melbourne Victory on 27 December.
Cruelly, Harrison’s injury means she will miss the remainder of the Westfield W-League season and also be unavailable to be selected for the Westfield Matildas’ Olympic qualifiers.
“It’s heartbreaking. It feels surreal knowing I’m not going to be able to play for a long time so it’s tough but I can’t wait to have the operation and get started on my rehabilitation,” said Harrison.
But despite the injury setback, Harrison said she was honoured to be nominated for the Westfield W-League NAB Young Footballer of the Year 2015/16 Award.
“It’s very special to be nominated for this award. I won the W-League Young Player of the Year last season so it feels great to be recognised to be playing well,” said Harrison.
“I’ve really been enjoying my time with Sydney FC and am honoured to receive this nomination because there are a lot of fantastic young players running around in the W-League.”
Harrison is the third player to be nominated for the Westfield W-League NAB Young Footballer of the Year 2015/16 Award, her nomination following that of Melbourne City FC’s Larissa Crummer (October nominee) and Brisbane Roar’s Angela Beard (November nominee).
The Westfield W-League NAB Young Footballer of the Year 2015/16 will be announced at the Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League 2015/16 Awards Night on Tuesday 26 April 2016.
Paul Juergens, Chair of the NSW/ACT State Leadership Council & NSW Retail GM said he is delighted to see the NAB Young Footballer of the Year Award unearth the stars of tomorrow.
“We congratulate Amy on her nomination and look forward to watching her development and growth on the football field in the years to come,” Mr Juergens said.
“We are also pleased to recognise St Mary’s Eagle Vale Soccer Club in Sydney’s west as Amy’s nominated junior club, and hope that our support will help the club continue to develop the game at a grassroots level.”
NAB has generously donated a $1,500 equipment pack and $1,000 in a NAB Community Saver Account to Harrison’s chosen club.
The overall winner of the Westfield W-League NAB Young Footballer of the Year 2015/16 Award will receive a $10,000 personal investment portfolio, along with a NAB Private Client Manager to assist with a range of banking and financial services.
“As a supporter of the NAB Young Footballer of the Year Award, we are proud to play an important role in identifying and rewarding the future stars of the game. Who knows, we may even see some of the nominees donning the boots for the Westfield Matildas in the future,” Mr Juergens continued.
Each month representatives from the FFA Technical department vote on a 3-2-1 basis for the most outstanding U-19 players in the Westfield W-League during that period.
