One of the leading women in Geelong soccer has been honoured with a special award as she relieved her journey to the big moment.
Bethany England has been included in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup, while Beth Mead misses out. Striker England, who has not been involved for her country since last September, is recalled after scoring 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham since joining them from Chelsea in January. But there is no return for Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner and player of the tournament Mead, having lost her battle against time after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November. Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, also sidelined of late, do feature in a 23-player list from which skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby had already been ruled out due to injury. Jordan Nobbs is included as well, despite sustaining an injury in Aston Villa’s penultimate game of the season, Katie Zelem has been brought back after not making the last squad in April and there is no recall for Williamson’s predecessor as captain Steph Houghton. Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier and Emily Ramsey have been named on standby. Wiegman admitted she had had a stressful week making “hard decisions” when selecting her squad.
The passionate local administrator, now in her second season at the helm of the region’s only female soccer club, edged out other nominated female administrators from the state’s regional and metropolitan based clubs.
“To be honest I was quite surprised when I received the phone call from Football Victoria,” said Krasic.
“The recognition of a regional person from quite a small club by receiving such an award is really quite significant. It’s rather amazing.”
Despite growing up in a soccer mad household, her late father Ivo was a player and later a renowned referee on the local scene, her own involvement in the sport was limited.
Marina Krasic was named Volunteer of the Year last week.
“I did come from an era when girls really didn’t play soccer. Instead, I did gymnastics as my chosen sport, as we had to do a sport as kids. With my parents it was a non negotiable,” she chuckled.
Krasic started volunteering as a teenager at YMCA, learning about inclusiveness and ensuring that barriers are removed in sport to allow full participation for all.
“Realising quite early on I was never going to be a gymnast, I transitioned into coaching and that’s what led to my involvement with volunteering at the YMCA,” she explained.
In recent times, however, soccer has been a big part of her life.
Over the past 10 years, Krasic has been heavily involved with Geelong Galaxy.
During her involvement with the highest ranked female club in the region, she has delivered the inaugural Soccer Mums program in Geelong, sat on Football Victoria’s Women’s Standing Committee and has served as secretary.
In the last two years, Krasic has presided over the club as it has shifted its home base from Stead Park to Hume Reserve, where it currently shares the recently renovated facility with cotenants Corio Soccer Club.
As for a word of advice for anyone considering volunteering at their local sporting club, Krasic was certainly forthcoming
“As far as volunteering goes, anyone can do it. And everyone has something to offer,” Krasic said.
“In Australia there are so many volunteering opportunities and we know sporting clubs would not exist without volunteers.”