Foster kid leads from the back
‘ She’s the first Foster to actually play for New Zealand
MICHAELA Foster is a football captain who came from nowhere and a left back who used to be a winger.
Starting next Saturday, she will lead New Zealand at the Fifa Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan, backed by a coach who encouraged her and a father who knows plenty about high performance sport.
She first made a national team in 2014, when Gareth Turnbull picked her for the national schoolgirls side which had been assembled with an eye on players who would be eligible for this year’s under-17 event. Up until that point, Foster had mostly played in attacking roles, but with talented teenage fullbacks in short supply, a position change beckoned.
‘‘I thought her defensive nous, game understanding, and her grounding as an attacking player would suit us well as a fullback who can get forward,’’ says Turnbull, who has since become the national under-17s coach.
‘‘We gave her a couple of opportunities on that tour, and after that she came to us and said I’m a left back, I want to play left FAIRFAX NZ back, I need to learn this position.’’
Since then, Foster has asserted herself as the best in the position in the country for her age and was an easy selection for the under-17 squad, which came together for the first time last July, ahead of the Oceania championships – and World Cup qualifiers – which were held in January in the Cook Islands.
For that event, Turnbull and his management team needed to choose a captain, having rotated several options. What led them to Foster, who had no previous experience in the role, was the respect they had seen her earn from her peers.
‘‘When she says or does something, she leads by example and the group follows,’’ says Turnbull.
Michaela has now had eight months in the role, dating back to the Oceania championships, where she won the Golden Ball award as player of the tournament.
‘‘It’s an honour enough just being able to wear the fern on my chest, so it’s really cool being able to lead the team out onto the field,’’ she said.
‘‘There’s no need to put myself above others, we’ve got a really good leadership group and we all know our roles and we all help each other. It’s a really good environment to be in.’’
In learning to lead, the 17-yearold Hamiltonian has been able to draw on the experience of her father, Ian Foster, who knows plenty about what is required in top-level sport, having captained the Waikato rugby team in the 90s, and been an assistant coach with the All Blacks since 2012.
‘‘He’s definitely been one of my biggest influences and inspirations in my sports life,’’ she said.
‘‘He’s been really helpful, especially with the leadership role I’ve been given – he’s had plenty of advice about that, which is cool. I’ve definitely learnt a lot from him. He tries to teach me a bit of football, but it doesn’t quite work.’’
While Ian played a record 148 times for Waikato at national provincial level, he never pulled on an All Blacks jersey, a fact which has given Michaela the chance to have a little bit of fun.
‘‘She took great pleasure in saying she’s the first Foster to actually play for New Zealand, not just coach them,’’ said Ian, who has nevertheless been able to pass down a few tips.
‘‘I’m a dad first and foremost and I love my daughter and I love what she’s doing with her football, and I just want to support her. ‘Every so often, she just gives me a little bit of an opportunity where I’m allowed to say a few things about coaching, but it’s on a permission basis only.’’