2013 has been a bright year for Caitlyn Cooper. The former Central Coast Mariners captain and two-time Matilda has signed for Western Sydney Wanderers and is feeling right at home.
Caitlyn was at the Mariners between 2008 and 2010 before moving to Canberra United for a three-year stint, and is now sporting red and black in the 2013/14 season.
In a new environment, Cooper said that the she has found the Wanderers a professional club and is “loving it at the moment”.
Caitlyn is originally a country girl and grew up in Wauchope, where her father was a football coach.
Caitlyn was the youngest in the open teens team, after growing up playing with her two older sisters.
“I looked up to my eldest sister, and she played for Northern NSW,” she said.
From there Caitlyn was doing a lot of travelling while still living in Wauchope, but the distance took its toll.
She knew she had to move away from the country if she wanted to move forward with her football.
“It was probably the best thing I did,” she said.
Cooper took no time to acclimatise at the Mariners and eventually captained the side, something she said comes naturally.
“Off the field I’m quite a quiet person. (But) on the field I like to lead,” she said.
Her most recent experience for the Matildas was against New Zealand in 2012 and she is hopefully of rekindling her dream to represent Australia again.
“Hopefully I have a good W -League season and it opens the door again,” she said.
In Round 1 the Wanderers faced Adelaide at their home base of Marconi Stadium. Adelaide proved to be a plucky opposition. Caitlyn concedes that the Wanderers, despite a few injuries, “should have won that game with the team we had.”
The last fortnight has seen the Wanderers go down 2-0 in Canberra and lose 4-1 at home to Brisbane Roar.
This Sunday afternoon they will meet Sydney FC in the first derby of the season at WIN Stadium, Wollongong.
Western Sydney Wanderers’ W-League side celebrates the goal of Catherine Cannuli (Image: Peter McAlpine)
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