She’s played for NSW, the Australian All Schools Girls and now Young’s Eden Stoddard is an American junior college regional runner-up champion.
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The 20-year-old has been playing college football in the USA since August last year after being offered a scholarship at Laramie County Community College - a Division 1 junior college - in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
She’s now heading into her second year playing for the college’s Golden Eagles in the National Junior College Athletic Association competition.
And, so far, the results are up there with the best.
“My team had a great season, we won 13, tied four and lost two throughout the season,” Stoddard said.
“We made the finals where we won 1-nil in the semis which put us in the regional championship. We versed a college from Otero.”
With five minutes to go in the championship game, Otero scored to send the game into overtime.
The Golden Eagles lost the championship by penalty shootout.
“We came runners-up of the National Junior College Region IX conference which was a major achievement for any team to do,” Stoddard said.
But the biggest accomplishment for the former Young High School student in the last 12 months has been her selection in the All Regional D1 Team of Region IX.
“To be selected as a freshman was a memorable moment,” she said.
Adjusting to American football hasn’t been as difficult for Stoddard as one would think.
She said both countries had similar ways of playing, often in the same formation as most Australian teams.
“But playing with a new team and a new coach has different strategies as all players and coaches are different,” Stoddard said.
“America has a lot quicker and tougher aspects of the game which we have to adapt to.
“Playing college football is a whole different experience as we train everyday at a high level, you basically eat, sleep, study and live with your team.”
Women’s soccer has come under the international limelight of late with Australia’s women’s soccer team, the Matildas, making the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup last month.
And cheering on the green and gold from her temporary US home was Stoddard.
“I was really impressed with the Matildas and how well they played throughout the whole tournament,” she said.
“I have grown up looking up to most of the players and also had the opportunity to play with and against some of them.
“Im proud to be an Aussie, even though they didn't end up making it past the quarter-finals they have put Australian football on the map that's for sure.”
Stoddard said her advice for girls who strived to succeed in soccer was to never give up on their dreams. “Train hard and if you want something bad enough, you will get it,” she said.
Stoddard only has the rest of this school year playing with Laramie College, with it only being a two-year school.
She will transfer to a university for her senior years, which at this stage will be to the University of Wyoming.
But Stoddard said it all depends on this season and what other schools may offer her.
