Centre for Stories
Stories
Stories are at the heart of what we do. The aim of our story archive is to make good stories available to a wide audience in the hope of strengthening connections between people and encouraging a more inclusive and informed community.

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Game Changers
Tracey Wheeler - No Longer Invisible
Tracey Wheeler made her international goalkeeping debut against New Zealand in 1989, and has played 55 international matches for the Australian women’s team, including three games at the 2000 Olympics.
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Game Changers
Katelyn Smith - Kicking Goals Together
Katelyn is an award-winning goalkeeper for the ParaMatildas, Australia’s first national team for women and girls with cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and symptoms of stroke.
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Game Changers
Natasha Rigby - Joining a Legacy of Champions
Growing up in Margaret River and not initially taking soccer seriously as a career, Tash took an unusual route to becoming captain of Perth Glory women’s team, replacing Sam Kerr in 2019.
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Game Changers
Ann Odong - Pass the Ball On
Sports journalist Ann Odong travels with the national Matildas team and is Digital Content Project Manager for Football Federation Australia. Growing up in Perth as a Ugandan refugee, Ann connected with other kids through a shared passion for soccer.
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Game Changers
Jaime Page - 100% Myself on the Field
Jaime is a trans woman, soccer player and committee member for the South Perth Pride Football Club, an inclusive soccer club for players of all different backgrounds, races, ages, abilities and sexualities.
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Game Changers
Thembi and Ischia Brooking - See It to Believe It
Soccer runs through the Brooking family’s veins. After migrating from Zimbabwe to Perth, Thembi started out playing soccer where there was less opportunity for young girls to play. Now, her daughter Ischia is playing at an elite level with the Junior Matildas.
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Game Changers
Marilyn Learmont - The Lady Referee
Marilyn has the great honour of being the first West Australian female referee to crash into the male-dominated game in the late 1970’s. In 1992, she was the first woman to run the line in a national men’s soccer league game.
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Game Changers
Mikayla Lyons - An Equitable Pitch
Mikayla is currently completing her PhD studies at Notre Dame University in gender equity in soccer, working as a strength and conditioning coach for Fremantle Dockers in the AFLW, and as a mentor for young girls in soccer.
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Game Changers
Sandra Brentnall - Take a Chance on Me
At 17 years old Sandra was flying the flag for Australia and playing for the Matildas, shooting to fame when she scored Australia’s first international goal.