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On the eve of the Football Ferns’ first FIFA Women’s World Cup match in France, against the Netherlands, forward Paige Satchell told Hibiscus Matters that playing for your country is an indescribable feeling that never gets old.
The former Orewa College student and Red Beach resident, aged 21, started playing football at the age of four.
Her passion and commitment to the sport has seen her represent New Zealand in 14 internationals and recently she signed her first professional contract, with German club SC Sand.
Playing in the World Cup is a dream come true for Paige and must have seemed far off when she suffered an ACL injury in 2017, only returning to the squad 10 months later, at the end of last year.
She is renowned for her speed, which is an asset to the team, and head coach Tom Sermanni says she could prove a match-winner, either from the start of as an impact player off the bench.
After the World Cup, Paige will take up her contract in Germany where she will also continue her Bachelor of Sport Management studies with Massey University online while living in the small town of Willstat.
She is fitting her part-time studies around her sporting commitments and aims to have her degree by the time her football career is over.
There is a lot of football to be played before then, as Paige’s career goes from strength to strength.
“The team is working very hard and really well together,” Paige says. “It brings me so much pride and honor playing for my country.”
