Lucinda is proving the value of study
LUCINDA Pullar gave up a burgeoning soccer career to focus on a medicine degree at Bond University.
Incredibly, less than 12 months later, she has made her first QAFLW grand final and is on the verge of being picked for the Gold Coast Suns AFLW side.
The former Brisbane Roar midfielder gave the beautiful game away to focus on her study and started playing her first season of Aussie rules as a bit of fun between classes after meeting some players in the campus gym.
Just months into her first season, the Bond University Bull Sharks defender was picked for the Queensland emerging talent team earlier this year in Perth and is on the radar of the Suns.
The 21-year-old’s undoubted skill in the new code could have her right back where she started in elite sport.
“I got into medicine at Bond University and had to make a decision between soccer and study,” Pullar said.
“Did I want to continue my sport career or pursue my academic career? I chose medicine.
“Literally two weeks later I got really bored and talked to some girls in the gym and ended up in Aussie rules. I honestly played Aussie rules for the pure joy of team sport and I still do, I didn’t have an intention to play at the elite level.
“But if the opportunity came around I wouldn’t turn it down; the experience in Perth was so good and showed me the door to an elite sport career isn’t closed.
“I’d be honoured to be a part of something like the AFLW. It is a cool time to be involved in women’s sport, it is flourishing.”
Pullar will line up against Coorparoo in the QAFLW grand final at Yeronga on Sunday after helping the side to a dominant 68-12 win over Yeronga in the major semi.
The former Australian Schoolgirls soccer player toured the UK and was awestruck when her opposite number was Arsenal’s Jordan Nobbs – now England’s vicecaptain. Pullar’s talent landed her a scholarship with the University of Southern California in the US, where she studied and played for two seasons, winning an NCAA division 1 national title.
After playing soccer all over the world she has found her home in Bond University’s Aussie rules team.
“I just don’t think you get the camaraderie that we have at the Bull Sharks, everyone is having such a good time. It’s a special connection we have,” she said. “It is really satisfying when you tackle someone and you do something good for the team.”
DID I WANT TO CONTINUE MY SPORT CAREER OR PURSUE MY ACADEMIC CAREER? I CHOSE MEDICINE. BULL SHARKS’ LUCINDA PULLAR