[babytiger2001]

Just received this release in my e-mail in-box from Soccer Australia-- and instead of posting it in the Oceania forum, I thought discussion would have a greater impact here.

It's for a program airing on the SBS channel here on September 20, about a woman known as "the soccer lady"... the context of the release is as follows...

from the Soccer Australia release, via relay from SBS television
THE SOCCER LADY is the name given to a rough and tough woman who roars into arid regions of north west Queensland to bring soccer to the outback.

Natalie Cardwell takes soccer to remote areas of Queensland. She says she does it for the love of the game and for the kids but it is soon evident
that there is more to it than that. She has the bravado and gusto of a woman who just won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Natalie’s life has the complexity and ontradiction that many people outside metropolitan centres have to face. There is one simple escape for her - soccer.

Natalie introduced her eldest son to the game ten years ago marking the beginning of an ever-increasing role she has taken in the pursuit of promoting soccer to the region.

Says Natalie: "When we drive into town the kids get really excited and call out: 'The Soccer Lady's here, The Soccer Lady's here."

At some point the question is raised: "How do you balance doing a little for a lot of people and a lot for a little group of people?"

On the road last year, Natalie travelled over 34,000 kilometres through Queensland and the Northern Territory. She visited 55 communities touching the lives of more than 3,000 children; but it is the small group of people she leaves at home that she has to contend with.

Natalie asserts: "This is MY time, when I'm on the road away from my family - I'm doing something I want to do and I do it my way."

Natalie's husband says that soccer is a priority in her life. It is clear that this time away with soccer is the catalyst for Natalie to feed her
determination to stand up and be counted.

Natalie Cardwell is "The Soccer Lady".

Apologies for publishing the entire article-- however, knowing the policy here, I went looking for a web link via either Soccer Australia's and SBS's respective sites, and I could not find one...

The setting for this piece is Australia and the outback in Queensland-- but it could be anywhere, really...

But aside from the probing question raised here, I was thinking of another query entirely-- and it's this...

When FIFA talks about "growing the game" in certain corners of the world, is this a prime example of it?

Something to ponder... curious to see what the masses here think...

Cheers,
William