Canberra United took a giant step towards finalising its playing squad for the inaugural year of the Westfield W-League with today’s announcement of five further signings, further boosting the quality of the side.
Canberra United took a giant step towards finalising its playing squad for the inaugural year of the Westfield W-League with today-s announcement of five further signings, further boosting the quality of the side.
The team already boasts plenty of experience with eight national players signed in the first window; the squad is further bolstered with the inclusion of youth and exuberance in local talent Christine Walters, Bronwyn Studman, Ellie Brush and Rebecca Kiting along with rising star Ashleigh Sykes from Dubbo.
“The playing squad is starting to take shape now with the inclusion of the latest signings who will all bring plenty of quality and experience to the side along with some youthful enthusiasm,” said head coach Robbie Hooker.
Both Walters and Studman were involved in the recent Westfield Young Matildas and Promising Matildas camps at the AIS respectively and have promising futures ahead of them. The establishment of the new league will significantly benefit players such as them with experience and development a by-product of the Westfield W-League.
Brush returns home to line up with Canberra United for the summer with the defender rejoining the national league scene after debuting for the former Canberra Eclipse as the youngest player prior to the league disbanding in 2004.
Australian School Girl representative, Kiting, joins the squad as the eighth local player with the ACTAS member rounding out the local contingent so far as the season nears.
Australian Institute of Sport Scholarship holder, Sykes will add blistering pace to the squad. The Dubbo resident has been the quickest at national team camps clocking a sub three second time for twenty metre sprints.
Despite being one of the youngest in the squad so far, Sykes is set to gain plenty of experience after being included national team for the ASEAN Championships later this month to tour to Vietnam along with other Canberra United members, Lydia Williams, Amy Chapman and Walters.
Along with player personnel, the clubs financial backbone was further strengthened today with the unveiling of prominent local business ActewAGL as another significant sponsor.
The electricity, natural gas, water, wastewater and internet services provider in the Australian Capital Territory and beyond will see their logo branded on the sleeve of the Canberra United playing strip courtesy of a $20,000 per annum sponsorship.
Canberra United kick their season off away from home against their Northern NSW counterparts, Newcastle Jets, on Sunday, 26th October at Wanderers Oval in the Hunter Valley with kick off at 1:30pm.
Biographies:
Ellie Brush – August 19, 1988 – Defender – ACTAS
Bronwyn Studman – March 24, 1992 – Defender – ACTAS
Christine Walters – June 17, 1991 – Defender – ACTAS
Rebecca Kiting – May 8, 1991 – Defender – ACTAS
Ashleigh Sykes – December 15, 1991 – Striker – Western NSW Panthers FC
