SPECIAL HONOUR
Toowoomba school pays tribute to Roar star and former student
FOOTBALL: Abbey Lloyd played a key role in the Brisbane Roar’s W-League success last season.
On as a second-half substitute, Lloyd’s double helped her side secure a 4-1 victory and the minor premiership, their first trophy since 2013.
Speaking to The Chronicle after that victory over Canberra United, the former South West Queensland Thunder striker was lost for words.
“I really don’t think it will ever sink in. I’m part of a premiership winning team. It’s amazing and surreal,” Lloyd said.
“All year I’ve been looking at the ladder and we’ve always been up there, but now we’ve won that first trophy. It’s pretty exciting.”
Now the dynamic young winger is set for a new honour from an organisation that helped her hone her skills.
This Friday, Harristown State High School’s best junior
‘‘ SHE IS DEDICATED, PERSISTENT, RESILIENT AND WILLING TO MAKE THE SACRIFICES SHE NEEDS TO BE A BETTER PLAYER.
MARK BURCHARDT
female footballer will be presented with the Abbey Lloyd award at the school’s annual award night.
“We’ve been honouring our best junior and senior sports star fore the past 11 years,” sports and boys football academy coordinator Mark Burchardt said.
“Some of the awards are named after former students who have gone on to have successful sporting careers.
“People like Steve Price (rugby league), John Rillie (basketball) and more recently Daniel Bowles (football).
“Now we have decided to name our junior female football award after Abbey.”
Lloyd is a graduate of Harristown’s football academy, and an excellent role model according to Burchardt.
“We think it is only fitting that we name the award after her,” Burchardt said.
“She has always worked hard extremely at school and in her football after she graduated.
“She is a great role model and a lot of the younger girls here look up to her and they can see where hard work can take them.
Burchardt said several key personality traits had been the key to Lloyd’s success.
“Abbey never made her first state representative side until she was in year 12,” he said.
“But she was always working hard. I remember her writing a letter to her coach at the time listing what she wanted to achieve.
“To her credit she followed through on that.
“She is dedicated, persistent, resilient and willing to make the sacrifices she needs to be a better player.”