King to live her American dream

UP and coming Taroona goalkeeper Ebony King plans to bring the footballing knowledge she picks up in the US college system back home.

King, 18, has been offered a four-year sporting scholarship at Bryant and Stratton College, New York, where she will play soccer for their women’s team and study criminal justice.

She was discovered by the college at trials with National Scouting Report Australia and will fly out in August. The season starts in September.

King has been playing soccer for 11 years and now plays in the Southern Women’s Championship.

When she returns she plans to help develop female football in Tasmania as her club Taroona places a big emphasis on women in sport.

“I would love to be able to bring the knowledge, skills and experience I gain back to Tasmania to help encourage young women to be involved in sport,” she said.

“[The scholarship] will enable me to play the sport I love fulltime and develop my skills in one of the leading countries for women’s football, as well as continue my academic studies.

“I have always loved soccer, so the opportunity was perfect to be able to develop the sport here and get my qualifications as well. I want to end up in the legal system or police force so to combine the two will be great.”

King will join the likes of former Olympia Warriors defender Shelbi ViennaHallam, who has played US college soccer for both Peninsula College in Washington and Alabama State University.

To take up the opportunity, King needs to raise $18,000 by August.