Page 41 - Port Douglas Magazine 42

Q A local talent.

&

Local

WINI HEATLEY

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER

hen a young Port neither of them speak Danish.
W Douglas State So, in the team and the club we
School primary
communicate solely in English.
girl, named Wini
Heatley, joined Outside of the club I actually
took Danish classes for my first

the Douglas 8 months here, so I like to think
Dragons Football Club aged 5, I can get by in the local language
it was the start of a wonderful too and it’s been fun.
life and one that transpired into
a successful career in women’s What drives you?
professional football. I guess that’s a pretty complicated
Currently Co-Captain and question. In short, I do genuinely
playing for League and Cup 2024 love playing football and I have to Wini and her family
Winners, FC Nordsjaelland, in pinch myself every day that I get
Denmark. to do something as a career that
We had the pleasure of catching I enjoy so much. I think a lot of childhood – the timing as “
people don’t have the luxury in
up with this talented player. which is a mentorship role. Together with one of What do you love about having
their career to do something that my teammates we teach them about the things had the opportunity to grow up “I am also a character coach
Is there a player or coach you they truly enjoy, so I consider we wish we knew at their age. Simple things, in Douglas, FNQ? - a mentorship role. We teach
admire and who has helped you myself very lucky and I’m very like how to deal with pre-game nerves and I think I’m so lucky for my
shape your view of the game? grateful for that. On the other more advanced things like self-talk. The topic is them about things we wish

There has been so many players hand, I’m pretty passionate about usually dictated by what we observe from them much as the location. I think we knew at their age. Simple
the need for a purpose in playing,

and coaches that have influenced because there’s so many moments so there’s no exact structure. We both really my older siblings and I were

my game, but the person who that you have to reconsider enjoy the role and find it very rewarding. the last to really experience the things, like how to deal with
probably altered my view the whether it’s worth it. So, I try to pre-phone age. We were outside pre-game nerves or more
most was actually a coach use football for good as much as What do you enjoy doing in Denmark in your getting up to mischief with our
who didn’t select me – Martin I can. downtime? neighbours every afternoon in advanced things like self-talk

Fehlberg. He was the Peninsula You’ll usually find me swimming in the harbour, Port – building cubby houses or and communication with your
under 15’s coach in my first-year What does your daily schedule at a café with some teammates or studying in a selling lemonade and handpicked

trialling for the representative 2024, FC Nordsjaelland look like? library. fruit to tourists, having sand ball team. It’s very rewarding.”
team, and I only made shadow. won the double wars at Four Mile beach. On the
I remember being so upset, and My day may look like .. How important is the support of your team? weekends we were camping or
I was determined to prove him I realised that a move abroad was games in Europe, and there’s more - 7am Team meeting A quote that I think Sam Kerr might’ve said at out on the reef, fishing. globe. So, it uses that platform to help shift

- 7.45am Daily gym session
wrong. I went to every single some point: Every time I come home; I get to re-experience society towards a more sustainable and equitable

training wanting to show him that in the natural order of things. eyes on those games. So, I think - 8.30-10.30 On field training “In the men’s game, you need to play well to fit the gratitude I have for growing up in FNQ. And future for all.

I deserved a spot on the team. He The A-league in Australia has it was just an inevitable move to - 10.30-11am Team breakfast in, and in the women’s game you need to fit in to now that I’ve lived in some pretty big cities, I

ended up taking the original come a long way, but it’s still not take my game to the next level. - 11-12pm Meetings with coach/ play well.” find myself appreciating the simpler things like I am also a member of Front Runner Athletes –

squad, but not being selected a full year-round league. When I Any issue with language sports psych or massage waking up to the sound of birds and sitting by an organisation using Australian athletes to bring
- 12-3pm Study
was there players were only paid

by him was my first big setback, barriers? I think it rings true a lot of the time. The more the fire and being able to see the stars. awareness to climate change, and to highlight its

and it was the moment that pro-rata for what was a 6-month When I’m finished with all my support, closeness and value you hold for your impact on the sports we love.

really cemented in my mind that season so I was forced to find When I played in Sweden I Club responsibilities, I have time teammates, the more comfortable you feel on the Do you have an opportunity to give back to the One of my most recent partnerships has been

football was what I wanted to do. work and training for the other definitely did. The coaches weren’t to study for a couple of hours. field, and the better you play. For me it makes a community or work on any special projects? with a boot brand called Sokito – a company
6 months of the year. For me comfortable communicating I’m currently studying for a Law huge difference to performance. who has brought attention to the environmental

Was it always your plan to play this meant moving interstate so in English, so I had a player degree. On a day-to-day scale I try to make sure my impact football has on the planet. They’re

overseas? that I could train with the Future translating for me in team I will often grab lunch with some How often do you get to come home to football career is aligned with the things I care the first boot brand to put sustainability at

Because of the lack of visibility Matildas program in the off- meetings. The result was usually of my co-workers in the club and Australia? about, so I try to give back in that way. I am the forefront of their mission, and ultimately
season. Moving every 6 months
very passionate about the preservation of our

in FNQ and Australia when I is definitely not sustainable, so in a 20 second explanation for a then head home around like 3 or Whilst living in Denmark I’ve been able to come environment and world betterment in general, so aim to influence football fans to think and act

started, I grew up without any that way it’s hard for our league 10-minute meeting, which made 4 pm. back once or twice a year which has been so I work with a couple organisations. sustainability.

idea of what a woman’s football to compete with the setups in it pretty difficult. One night a week I stay at the nice. I usually split my time between Julatten and
career looked like. I think as I Europe, where you’re contracted In Denmark my experience has club until around 7 pm because Port Douglas where I grew up, and Redlynch in I pledge 1% of my salary to Common Goal –

started my professional career at year-round. On top of the been quite different. Our head I have a coaching session with Cairns, where my mum lives. which is an is an organisation based around the
Brisbane Roar, and started to get consistency, you get to play more coach is from England, and both the U13 and 14 girl’s teams. idea that because football is the world game,
involved with the national team, assistant coach from Canada – so I am a character coach for them it has the power to reach all the corners of the