The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ is soon to kick off across New Zealand and Australia. To celebrate the tournament and everything it stands for, the biggest-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup™ Trophy Tour has been taking place and Ōtautahi Christchurch was lucky enough to be a part of it.
The tour has taken the iconic trophy to all 32 of the tournament’s participating nations – more countries than ever before, with the aim to inspire people of all ages by ‘Going Beyond’ to celebrate the rocketing popularity of women’s football.
While the trophy was in Ōtautahi, ChristchurchNZ together with FIFA, Sport Canterbury, Christchurch Foundation, Women in Sport Waitaha and Dunedin City Council held a Trophy Tour Youth Breakfast. The morning was inspired by the theme of ‘Going Beyond’ and its mission to spotlight women and girls who are unleashing their creative spirit and accelerating the growth of women’s football.
Local students, parents and teachers were invited to Christchurch’s Town Hall for a morning of inspiration and insight from an outstanding panel of sporting heroes. With the trophy present, there was a special opportunity for students to get up close and snap a photo before the event kicked off.
Radio presenter and sporting enthusiast Lesley Murdoch was the MC for the morning, and the panel included hockey superstar Gemma McCaw, rugby hero Ged Robinson, cricket champion Todd Astle, and football legends Melissa Ruscoe, Kristine Lilly and Maia Jackman.
Each presenter spoke of their hardships, highlights and heroes, sharing personal stories and insights into what made them who they are today and how they achieved great success in their careers. They each touched on the good times but also the challenging times. Even though all of their challenges were different, a clear theme emerged that getting through the tough times was where these champions were born.
It was especially fitting to hear from some of the true football greats, including Lilly who played midfielder for the United States Women’s Soccer Team for over 23 years. Her career includes five FIFA Women’s World Cups and three Olympic Games, having been inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame in 2012. Hearing her story, her motivating words and passion for the sport, it was hard not to feel inspired by her greatness and dedication to the football.
McCaw spoke of her journey representing New Zealand at the Olympics, more than once, yet never achieving the gold medal. At the start of her career the gold was her whole drive and reason to dedicate so much to her sport. But after years of work and challenging times, and with great support around her, she realised that it wasn’t the most important thing after all. After hearing her story, her final words landed in the room with impact: “If you aren’t enough without the medal, you won’t be enough with the medal.”
Astle got the audience up and moving for an exercise he uses in high pressure situations. It was all about getting the mind in the right zone, starting with physical stance – stand tall, hands on hips, get grounded, take a deep breath. And then to focus the mind and think, WIN: What’s Important Now. The lesson around being present and focusing on what is important in the moment cuts out the noise and nervous thoughts that can overtake the mind. It was a perfect takeaway for each person in the room and a useful skill for young people to have.
After the morning wrapped up, the trophy made it’s way to Hilmorton Highschool, where Mainland Football and PRIDE Coach Alana Gunn faciliated a skills and drills session with some of the 1st X1 team and other football-loving students.
