Indianna’s football flight to Wyoming
spin. Joey became the inaugural five-wicket taker of the Vikings tour and ripped the heart out of Congresbury with a mesmerising spell of 5-47 from his eight overs.”
The locals collapsed from 2-112 to 192 all out chasing the Vikings 4/242.
We can’t wait for the South Dubbo Hornet to start buzzing his off-spinners past the flailing bats of Dubbo cricketers come September! Indi’s inspiration! The youngster met Ash and Nic Sykes and their autographed photo holds pride of Indianna Asimus (front row, second from right) with Australian Schoolgirls teammates. place in the Asimus “pool room” FROM fickle fingers to flashing feet – Indi’s still scaling the heights!
Soccer star Indianna Asimus is using her footwork and power to build a career on the football fields of Wyoming. It’s a far cry from the days when she tickled the ivories at South Primary School under the tuition of Jo Maher!
Indi flew out this week to take up a four-year sporting/academic scholarship at the University of Wyoming and is contracted to the Cowgirls, who compete in national competitions alongside the Cowboys.
The confident young woman who left Dubbo at just 15 to follow her dream through Hunter Sports High School in Newcastle, completed her final year as captain of both Hunter Sports High and their football team last year.
Now she’s off to live that dream. But where did Indianna Asimus’ journey begin?
Surprisingly it was around a piano with a group of school friends, not as you would imagine on the soccer fields at Lady Cutler Park or the Hans Claven Field.
“My music teacher, Mrs Maher asked me if I’d like to join her girls’ soccer team,” she explained.
“Her daughter Grace and our friends Libby Anderson, Phoebe Rowley, Emily Crampton, Chloe Gesler and Ruby Johnson all signed up with Orana Spurs,” Indi said.
From that point on, Indi’s focus was on her feet instead of her fingers – and the rest is history!
“Jo Maher was our first coach. Robert Hughes, who everyone calls Bob, supported us all the way from when we started in 2006. He still calls all the time to make sure we are okay,” she added.
In 2008, Indi was selected in the Western Youth league Dubbo Devils boys’ squad.
“We won the under 11s title that year. Mrs Jones was so encouraging. She told me I was in the team on my ability not just because I was a girl,” she said proudly.
“I always thank her for sticking up for me to allow me to play regardless of my gender. The boys accepted me as part of the team and I loved representing my city.”
She played club footy with Spurs, representative matches with the Devils and also with the Western Panthers (now Mariners).
Indi’s mum Gwen is equally proud of her talented daughter.
“Indianna holds the record of having played four years in the Under 12s Western team and she often helped out playing above her age group,” she smiled.
In 2013, she led the Dubbo Red
Devils under 14 girls team to a Western NSW Youth League title with Tod Duffy as the coach.
Her teammate in those years, Grace Maher moved to Canberra to finish school and play high level sport.
That move paid off as Grace has already played more than 20 games for the Young Matildas and is on the cusp of full-blown Australian Women’s team selection. She teamed up with Indi’s childhood heroes, twins Nicole and Ashleigh Sykes to claim the W-league title with Canberra United in 2014.
“I love seeing what Grace has achieved and hope that one day I can follow the path that she and Ash and Nic have paved,” Indi said.
While at school in Newcastle, the talented striker came under the attention of Matilda Shelley Yeomans.
“She was a really influential person in my life and we still keep in touch. Shelley and manager Lynn Cooksley have made a real footprint on my heart. Their positive influence was priceless to me and my family at a time I really needed it,” she said with plenty of emotion.
“There were some times in the last couple of years when tears were more common than smiles but with tremendous encouragement from her club at Merewether, she has regained the love of her sport and life in general.
Indi played with Merewether Llamas in the Newcastle Herald Women’s Premier League first grade competition alongside W-league players Rahli Dobson (Melbourne City and Matilda squad member), Grace Macintyre, Nicki Jones, Alison Logue and Lori Depczynski (captain).
“Merewether Coach Cassandra Koppen has been such a positive encouraging mentor to Indianna. She absolutely loved playing with such a talented bunch of players,” Gwen said.
“It has been so much fun and helped me remember how much I love playing football. I see these more experienced players as friends rather than club mates. They are very positive, encouraging me and the other younger ones. It is awesome. I promised the Llamas I will return.” No ifs, no maybes, Indi was very definite.
One of her highlights last year was scoring the winning goal for NSW against Victoria at the Pacific Games in Adelaide.
“That was such a wonderful week!” she exclaimed.
In many ways, it was a major point on a long road that started in Dubbo all those years ago.
“When I played for Western, we travelled up to five hours for all our home games and training. Our away (games) were played in Sydney and Wollongong. Mum and Dad (Trent and Gwen) and my brother Hunter were always in the car! We travelled thousands of kilometres over those seven or so years,” she continued.
“In the end, we bought a 7-seater to take other players with us. We would meet at Bunnings’ car park and sometimes pick up kids in Wellington. They were such great trips with lots of singing and laughter,” Indi recalled.
Then the Asimus family packed everything up and moved to Newcastle.
‘Now that I’m off to America, I joke they’ll probably buy a shack in Wyoming and move over there” she laughed.
Indi laughs a lot.
“It is nice to hear that from her,” says Gwen, “but we might be more like visitors rather than US residents,” she smiled.
Indi came under the radar of US talent scouts while playing for the under 19s Australian schools team. She was the Aussie’s leading goal scorer, slamming seven into the net, including the winner in the final of the LA Cup.
“I had lots of offers after the tournament but after we spent many hours of research, we decided to accept the offer from Wyoming. The Cowgirls play in Division 1, the University offers exciting science subjects – my favourites – and it is like a bigger version of Dubbo. That is, it is a big country town, although the winters can drop to -20!”
Indi takes a great sporting heritage with her to the States. Her dad Trent won numerous national and international cycling titles and played “a bit of soccer” and has “always had her back”.
Her grandfather played at the highest level in Belgium and two of her cousins currently play in the Belgian A League, having both represented the national Red Devils at Under 17s and 19s.
Her great grandparents Gwen and Ray Bryant are important people in Indi’s life.
“They’ve always been there for me. They are very constant and positive influences.”
As you can see, they have plenty to be proud of.
Young Indi is much more than a one note wonder. She is a true all-rounder who has progressed from skilfully managing a keyboard to dancing a tune with her feet on the soccer fields
This vivacious young woman who showed a deft touch of the hands is now using her explosive boots to hit the right notes!