The Canberra United Academy are aiming to transform their players into a strong, capable outfit ready to take on any team that stands in their way.

With Women’s National Premier League  head coach Matt Moore returning after a few years away from the club, the Academy are seeking to revolutionise the team and their style of play by the end of 2023 NPL campaign.

Increasing each individual player’s football awareness and education are pivotal parts to putting together what they hope will be a  competitive team.

Moore aims at increasing their experience in in-game situations, as they hope to take on bigger clubs at the peak of the competition.

“We are looking to get to a point where the independent thought of the players allows them to work through those football situations,” Moore said of his training process. “The idea is to get outcomes and results through what we are doing on the training pitch.”

Canberra United Academy’s dynamic and evolving nature allows the club and players to gain experience, especially with the incorporation of their sports science team in recent years.

The sports science team has increasingly assisted players with well-being, returning to play from injury and their education around nutrition, inevitably helping the players in maximising their potential.

“They’re probably the biggest things that sort of excited me in my return and getting involved and seeing that evolution,” Moore revealed “Also, the quality of some of these young players that are coming through now, who certainly have the ability to go on and break into junior national teams and break into A-League squads in the future.”

Moore’s experience with Football Australia’s Technical Director for Women’s Football, and Junior Matildas Head Coach, Rae Dower will add invaluable experience to the club and the coaching of the players, allowing the players to grow accustomed to environments of higher level, professional teams.

“We are trying to make sure that the environment that we create is as close to a national team environment or an A-League environment that’s possible,” Moore said “Which means that next step for them when they get there isn’t quite so big, it’s a small step.

“They are mentally prepared, physically prepared and from a football education point of view, they’re absolutely prepared.”

With the club’s focus for 2023 to help players to be given the opportunity to be identified, the Canberra United Academy are focusing on separate elements such as individual feedback and development plans to exploit the most potential out of every athlete.

Along with growing as players on the field, the club has as much importance in excelling their professionalism and respect off it, making it a vital goal of theirs to ensure they are great people first and foremost.

New to the club this year is the introduction of workshops that will endeavour to teach players about their off-field behaviour and their impact they have on the people and communities around them.

With the effects of social media creeping into everyone’s lives, the club seems the management and education of the implications of social media a high priority.

“It’s something that the players need to be educated on now and what social media can do and how helpful it can be but also how hurtful it can be at the same time,” Moore said. “Not just in the way that the players might use it but in the way that other people interact with players as well which is a really important thing for us.”

You can watch all of Canberra United Academy’s NPL matches live on Bar TV Sports throughout the 2023 season.

Words: Harrison Frater