Friend’s advice pays off for striker Symes
Menzies College student Harlee Symes got hooked on football when living in Cobram, three hours by road from Melbourne.
She moved to Wyndham in June last year and has become a key player in the Menzies’ first XI girls’ team.
The 16-year-old, who has played football for three years, recalled at the weekend how her school friend in Cobram, Tomasina Ventre, suggested she play the sport.
Symes had been playing netball and wanted a change.
‘‘I went to [football] training and loved it,’’ Symes said.
‘‘I was terrible at it [initially] but eventually got better.’’
Football practice at home became part of her daily life.
It was not uncommon for her to train at home in temperatures of 45 degrees Celsius.
‘‘I’d put the sprinkler on and kick the ball around for two hours until mum told me to get back inside,’’ Symes said.
‘‘I didn’t want to text . . . I wasn’t social. I had my own thing.
‘‘I’d put my music on and away I’d go [with a football].’’
She played football for a year in Cobram before moving to Southland. Last winter, she scored 36 of Menzies’ 64 goals in the girls’ college B grade competition.
Her total number of goals for last season was 51.
Menzies moved into A grade this year and, after two games, leads the competition.
Symes set up two of the three goals scored by Marina Ferguson in the game between Menzies and James Hargest College in Invercargill last week. Menzies won 3-2 in wintry conditions.
Menzies beat Central Southland 3-0 in their only other competition game last month, with Symes landing two goals.
Teacher-coach Carl Lambert said Symes had good ball skills and encouraged her team-mates.
‘‘She can draw in and go around players,’’ Lambert said.
He added that this season was the first time in seven years Menzies had led in a college girls’ football competition. ‘‘The girls are rapt.’’ They take on the strong Southland Girls’ High School team at Menzies on Wednesday.
Lambert is arranging for Symes (striker) and Rhylee McGregor (centre midfielder) to attend a West Ham United Oceania Academy camp in Dunedin during the school holidays next month.
The English football club has an association with the Dunedin Football Academy.
‘‘It’s a great opportunity for Harlee and Rhylee to see what standard they have to reach to go further,’’ Lambert said.
Players who impress at the camp will be invited to a West Ham United Academy New Zealand national residential camp.
Lambert said 45 students played football at Menzies – two girls’ teams and a boys’ side.
Meanwhile, Symes is looking to return to athletics later in the year.
When competing in the under13 section of a Victorian Primary Schools’ Sports Association meet, Symes recorded 1.56m in the high jump. It was the third best for her age in Victoria at the time.
She also finished fifth in a 200m event at an association meet.
After school Symes runs and does sprint training, along with workouts in the Menzies’ gymnasium.
Athletics is a close second to football in Symes’ life.
‘‘I’d love to be a professional football player.’’