BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The Vermont Green soccer team will field a women’s team for a much-anticipated exhibition match on Saturday at the University of Vermont’s Virtue Field. The sold-out match, and prospects of a first-ever Vermont women’s semi-pro team, have a lot of younger players inspired.
A Nordic Soccer Club’s girl’s team practiced this week at the Shelburne Field House ahead of their trip to regionals in West Virginia. But before that trip, they’re looking forward to watching another match.
For the first time, the Vermont Green Football Club will put a women’s semi-pro team on the field for an exhibition Saturday evening. Young players see it as yet another chance to spotlight women’s sports.
“I think people are now starting to notice that women’s sports is a huge deal and women’s sports is fun to watch just as much as men’s sports or any other sport,” said Avery Sykes of Derby.
“It really makes you realize how far you can go,” said Karsyn Coke of Essex Junction.
Williston player Maddie Demayo says she and the rest of her Nordic teammates look at the VGFC squad as role models. “It really shows people that it’s possible, and it gives them someone to look up to and some goals that they can achieve,” she said.
After the rousing success of the VGFC men’s team drawing capacity crowds at Virtue Field, club officials say they thought there would also be strong support for a women’s team.
The roster for the exhibition includes local players, including Ella Gazo, who grew up playing for Nordic. “I never thought I would be a part of something like this — to like have these kids look up to me. It’s a lot of pressure but also is like incredible to be able to set an example be a role model. You know, I want to work hard because I know they’re here and like show them what it means to play soccer and like, give your heart to that,” she said.
As the Nordic girls train hard for regionals, it’s a little extra motivation to have the VGFC women practicing right across the field. “It makes me want to look over and like have a good practice over here,” Demayo said.
“It’s definitely gonna push me harder because, you know, I kind of like that — push myself a little bit, making sure I’m working as hard as I can. And now that I have, you know, a women’s team next to me, I’m definitely going to work really hard,” Coke said.
Following practice, it was also a chance to get some autographs.
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