​Glendowie College’s rise from winless league season to Grand Final

Jasmine Gedye - Glendowie College.

Lexie Sheed - Glendowie College.

They didn’t win a game in the Senior A1 competition last year but Auckland’s Glendowie College 1st XI Girls Football side are just one victory away from clinching the Auckland Provincial Championship (APC) Division Two title on Wednesday.
 
Playing in the Auckland Senior A1 Competition in 2017, the East Auckland based school were fortunate not to be relegated come the end of the season with just four draws to their name.
 
Despite this, it was evident the team had the ability to play the beautiful game with a seventh place finish during Winter Tournament Week providing some much needed respite.
 
Fast forward to 2018, and under a new coach in Steph Trowill, Glendowie is one win away from lifting a trophy, with the APC Division Two Final taking place next Wednesday against Marist College, who were unbeaten in the A1 this season.
 
Glendowie finished a respectable fifth in the A1 with five wins, two draws and three losses to their name, qualifying them for the APC Division Two.
 
“I am so proud of the girls’ efforts this season,” Trowill said.
 
“We haven’t had the easiest of runs to get to the final but the girls have believed in their abilities and fought to the final whistle in each of the games.
 
“We had to overcome an Auckland Premier side in the Quarter Final and then Western Springs in the Semi who had given us a good run for our money in the league so we knew it was going to be difficult.
 
“There is no hiding how difficult it was. We were down 2-0 at the break but after some slight tactical changes heading into the second half, being a braver team on attack and some quality keeping by young Carly (Green) we managed to pull off a victory.”
 
Trowill paid tribute to Green and fellow juniors Lexie Sheed and Hannah Barclay.
 
“The young guns in our team have really stepped up and competed well at this level.
 
“Carly hasn’t been in goal for us every week as she also enjoys to play outfield, but when she is between the sticks she has been an unsung hero.
 
“Lexie and Hannah are both year nine’s and regularly find the back of the net for us.
 
“Lexie in particular has been instrumental for us up top with her pace and skill. It was unfortunate she was injured for a few games mid-season as I believe if she was fit and able we might have finished higher up the table.”
 
Year 13 student and Captain, Jasmine Gedye, signaled out a change in formation, the promising talent and coach Trowill as key reasons behind the sides success this season.
 
“Having a more definitive formation this season has helped our team a lot this season, as has a consistent flow of goals going in,” the 18-year old said.
 
“Steph coming in as coach has also made a huge difference in the organisation and commitment levels which has been a massive improvement and another reason we have done so well this year.”
 
With a number of promising youngsters plying their trade in the side, Gedye believes the future is bright.
 
“After losing nearly every game last year and welcoming many new players to the team this year, it is incredible we have made it this far together.
 
“With the team built full of young players this year, the talent coming through will only improve in the years to come.
 
“The team has already improved so much and I am so excited to see what the final will hold for us.”
 
Ahead of Wednesday’s Final, Trowill, who featured prominently in school girls football between 2009-13 for Botany College and represented the New Zealand Secondary Schools team, plans to keep everything the same in the lead-up to the big game.
 
“Nothing is going to change in our approach and lead-up to this game, apart from the fact that I promised the team pizza for lunch if they made the final.
 
“It’s hopefully going to be a special and memorable day for the girls. They will have the afternoon off classes to spend time as a team before departing to the grounds where we will go through our normal routine.
 
“It’s going to be a tough match, but I am confident in my team’s abilities to push the A1 champions all the way and hopefully cause a bit of an upset.”
 
The final kicks off at 3:30pm at Seddon Fields which will be followed by the Division One final between Baradene and Saint Kentigern Colleges.