It’s safe to say this Sunday’s women’s A-League season opener in Wellington means everything to Michaela Foster.
The versatile defender even gave up her teaching job at her old school, Hamilton Girls’ High School, to make herself available for the Wellington Phoenix.
“It’s a great privilege, it’s been really exciting to get the call up,” says the 23-year-old.
Unfortunately her father and All Blacks coach, Ian Foster, won’t be there though this weekend in Wellington.
Instead he’ll be nearly 19,000 kilometres away in London, watching on a TV hours after the All Blacks’ last Test of the year at Twickenham against England.
But she didn’t want him to miss out completely.
“I sent him over with a Wellington Phoenix jersey so he’s taken that over and told him to wear it if I get on that pitch,” says Michaela.
Ian said he was “really proud” of what Michaela was achieving.
“She’s chasing her dreams, she’s shown a lot of ambition to make it in soccer and this is just another step for her.
“She’s really cut this path by herself, she’s done really well and my job as a dad is just to be like every other kids dad and support her and love her on the journey,” Ian says.
Growing up in a rugby mad family, you’d be forgiven for thinking her dad would prefer a future Black Fern.
“Nah I think he pushed me and my sister more towards football more than rugby a little bit.
He’s always been proud of where I’ve gone with football and always been supportive of it,” says Michaela.
At just 23, she’s already had some important experience as part of her footballing development.
She captained the New Zealand team at the Under-17 FIFA World Cup in 2016 and also took part in the Under-20 World Cup in France two years later.
Add to that, her time at the University of San Diego on a scholarship.
Helping her with the sporting pressure are some wise words from Dad during her car rides after games and training.
“I don’t want to give him too much credit!
“He always gave a lot of advice in those car rides home after football always helping me reflect on my game and helping grow as a player mentally, I think was his main thing. ”
Foster joked he used to give her a bit of wisdom in the car.
“I used to lock her in the car on the way to school and tell her it was daddy wisdom time and it was the only time my kids would ever listen to me,” says Ian.
Michaela believed she gained a lot from the discussions in the car.
“I definitely got my mental toughness and strength from some of those car rides home,” says the 23 year-old.
But that’s not the piece of wisdom Ian found particularly effective.
“Probably the best contribution I had to her journey was when she was a little girl kicking the ball around the park, I told her that she wasn’t like the other kids and that she didn’t have a good leg.
“So, she had to kick the ball with both legs and so she over time has developed and left and right leg and that’s been pretty good,” says Ian.
So good in fact, her new found ambidextrous ability has proven to make Michaela a lethal set-piece taker with a knack of setting up and even scoring goals from corners.
“I probably tricked my kid into something quite good,” says Ian..
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