Calder United is retaining its place among the title contenders in the NPL Women’s soccer – and doing so with a youthful approach.
United went through the first half of the season undefeated and holding the best goal difference in the league, having conceded the least amount of goals (eight) and scoring the equal most (33), with third-placed South Melbourne.
United maintained the rage in the first game of the second half of the season on Saturday, beating Geelong Galaxy 4-2 at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve on the back of a double to Catherine Zimmerman and goals to Alycia Eicke and Aleksandra Sinclair.
It is the blooding of four players out of its under-18s and the introduction of three teenagers from surrounding clubs that has United president Eric Psarianos excited.
“We’ve gone through the first half of the season where you play everybody once and come out of that undefeated,” he said.
“It’s pretty good considering we’ve promoted four youth players from our under-18s group from last year and we’ve recruited another three players that are all under 18.
“There’s seven new faces between the ages of 16 and 18 in the senior squad, so it’s a phenomenal effort. I’m very proud.
“All four of our homegrown youngsters are pretty much starting every week and are amongst our best players.”
Calder has been a mark of consistency since entering the league in its inaugural season three years ago.
A key ingredient is continuity through its coaching ranks.
Coaches Mark Torcaso and Ian Williamson have done a tremendous job building the senior team into one of the most respected in Victoria.
“That’s been our strategy from day one, to retain those junior coaches,” Psarianos said.
Calder is continuing to develop within its region.
It wants to attract the best young players and is doing the hard yards in the community through school clinics to get the brand out there.
Psarianos envisages a day when Calder will be totally homegrown.
“Within three or four years, all of the players could be homegrown talent,” he said.
Of those homegrown newcomers, Raquel Deralas has shone like a beacon this season.
Deralas has scored six goals up front – two of those were out-of-this-world strikes – and she is only 16.
“She’s got such a presence up front, playing in one of the hardest positions on the ground,” Psarianos said.
“Two of her goals could be contenders for goal of the season and she scored them both against quality defences in South Melbourne and Bulleen – these are defenders who are playing at W-League level.”
Import Zimmerman has been superb for Calder, both on and off the pitch.
She is the leading goalscorer in the competition, netting 15 times, while away from the park she is guiding the young talent in the region by hosting soccer clinics and being the star attraction of the club.
Psarianos rates Zimmerman, who has played professionally in the US and spent a season in Sweden before moving to Calder, in the top three attacking players in the competition.
He thinks it’s only a matter of time before a W-League club comes calling.
“She’s been phenomenal, scoring in every game we’ve played, including all the pre-season games,” he said. “She plays out wide up front, has got a lot of pace and a deadly finish.
“She’s such an endearing person who naturally attracts young players to follow her.”
Calder will face sister club Keilor Park in a Team App Cup quarter-final tonight (Tuesday) at Keilor Park Recreation Reserve from 8pm.
