Aimee Fladrick returns from a European soccer adventure

It’s not often 17-year-olds travel to Europe where they play their favourite sport and meet one of their biggest sporting idols all within three weeks.

Narrabri’s Aimee Fladrick experienced all of those dreams during her European soccer tour with Wanderers Australia last month.

The goalkeeper, who played in one of the Narrabri Junior Soccer Club’s under-18s teams last year, travelled to England and France for a trip of a lifetime where she took part in eight matches and saw some of the wonderful sights of Europe.

A team of 15 female, under-17 soccer players travelled from all across Australia to England to begin their journey.

It was a last minute change to the crew’s itinerary which led to Aimee’s favourite moment of the whole experience.

On the third day of the three-week tour the team changed its schedule to watch an FA Women’s Super League match featuring Chelsea FC and Redding FC. That match was Australia Matildas’ star striker Sam Kerr’s debut match for the London-based club Chelsea FC.

The Wanderers Australia squad watched and cheered on Kerr as the attacker made an immediate impact at her new club, earning herself an assist for the second Chelsea goal.

After Chelsea picked up a 3-1 victory Kerr came over to the loud and proud Australian group and thanked them for their support.

Kerr then invited the team members onto the pitch to have their photo taken with her.

“It was incredible,” said Aimee.

“That was definitely up there as my favourite moment of the trip.

“It was really cool just watching so many great women players.

“It was definitely pretty inspiring.”

Aimee’s tour was not all about sight-seeing and meeting idols, the Wanderers Australia squad had eight matches scheduled during the tour and it started on the right foot.

The first match saw Aimee keep a clean sheet when her team defeated the Hornchurch-based Tigers JFC under-17s 3-0.

The Wanderers Australia squad then picked up a 3-2 win over Winchester City Flyers in its second game.

After its second match the team travelled to Southampton to watch an FA Cup battle between English Premier League club Southampton FC and English second-division side Huddersfield FC.

The home side dominated in the oldest soccer competition in the world and came out 2-0 winners.

In its third match the Wanderers Australia side’s winning streak came to an end when it was defeated 9-0 by a strong London Bees academy side.

That match was always going to be tough as the Bee’s first grade team plays in the second highest division in England.

The academy squad, which Aimee faced, is used to filter players into the first grade team and can be selected from players across the world.

But the Wanderers got back to their winning ways in game four by beating Nottinghamshire-based club Arnold LGFC 4-1.

The Australian team members then set off for Manchester where they participated in a tour of Etihad Stadium, the home ground of current English Premier League champions Manchester City.

Unfortunately Aimee fell ill during the tour and was only able to see the training ground.

The Wanderers Australia side’s next match saw Aimee bounce back from her sickness and pick up her second clean-sheet of the tour when her side downed Droylsden JFC 2-0.

That was the side’s fourth win from five matches on the tour.

The squad then took on West Yorkshire side Brighouse LFC where the Wanderers were defeated 5-2.

Following their defeat to Brighouse, the touring Australians travelled to Liverpool where they watched Everton FC face off against Brighton and Hove Albion FC at the historic Goodison Park in an English Premier League match.

The Brighton squad featured two Australian Socceroos in goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and midfielder Aaron Mooy.

Unfortunately the Australian duo’s team was edged out 1-0 by the Evertonians.

The touring Wanderers side then ventured to Richmond where it faced Richmond Park LGFC.

Aimee’s team picked up an intense 2-1 win to secure its fifth win of the tour.

After a blissful ferry trip across the Strait of Dover and a stop at the Eiffel Tower the squad was ready for its final game. In France the team took on Paris Université Club Feminine FC.

Aimee captained the side for the team’s last contest and after the half-time break the Wanderers Australia team surprised Aimee by giving her a chance to play on the field.

The side settled for a 1-all draw in that match meaning Wanderers Australia under-17s finished with five wins, one draw and two losses in eight matches.

Aimee relished the new experience.

“It was a big eye-opener,” said Aimee.

“Seeing everything at the sights and how good their facilities are over there was really amazing.”

Aimee described developing an understanding of how different the game was in Europe compared to Narrabri was a great experience.

“I learnt how they play over there and how big it really is,” she said.

“Our Saturday competition with the seniors is not as intense as the juniors are over there.

“They train two or three times a week. They play incredibly well, it’s extreme.”

Aimee will be back on the soccer field sooner rather than later with both training and trials for Narrabri Junior Soccer Club just around the corner.