Ex-Glory star and current Academy coach Sarah Carroll joins Football West staff

Football West is excited to announce the appointment of Sarah Carroll to its football department.

Sarah is one of the most recognisable female players in WA, having represented Perth Glory for over 10 years, Junior & Young Matildas, and winning countless titles at North Redbacks/Perth RedStar. She is also assistant coach for the Hyundai Football West Academy Girls U15s and was team manager for the Girls State U15s.

Sarah joins the Football West staff to cover for her former Glory teammate Tash Rigby, who is going on maternity leave from her position as Female Football & Advocacy Manager.

“This is an incredible opportunity and something that is my passion – football, and more particularly female football,” Sarah said.

“I will lead the growth of female football in Western Australia and continue the fantastic work that Tash has already implemented.”

Sarah’s work with the Academy and State teams has given her insight into how much the game has changed since she started, and what still needs to be done.

“I also came through the Academy, although it was NTC [National Training Centre] back then, and helping young girls see a pathway is important to me,” she said.

“There are definitely more things in place for girls now than when I started.

“I was very fortunate in that my career was very fast-tracked – I was involved in the NTC at 14 and by 16 I was in Glory. Before that, a lot of my football was boys' football, and while that was a good thing in terms of the player I turned out to be, not all girls want that. Many want to play with other girls, and it’s important they have those options.”

While there has been undeniable progress in female football in Australia, especially since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Sarah recognises the challenges that still exist.

“I think attracting financial investment is a massive thing for the women’s game,” she said.

“Look at the A-League. A vast majority of players have to work second jobs, and it is becoming more difficult to juggle both as the level of commitment and time spent at their clubs is increasing. 

“I went through the A-League working a full-time job in real estate and marketing – I couldn’t have afforded to just play football – and sadly, that’s still the case for many girls. In Europe, especially in the likes of the WSL, playing football is a full-time job, or at least providing more financial stability, but Australia is still behind.

“It’s not just players, either. It’s the coaching, it’s the administration side, facilities … investment will help it all get better. Yes, we want to grow on the field, but we want off the field to come with it.”

While Sarah remains an important player in RedStar’s NPLWA – Women’s side, she sees coaching as a long-term attraction.

“I’ve really enjoyed the player development aspect of coaching in the Academy, and that’s probably because I was involved in this program as a player,” she said.

“I want to help develop players. I love the high-performance environment; that's what I’ve been involved in for so long. I like the pressure, the elite demands, the high tempo, the professional aspect to it ... it's something I thrive on. It’s been really good.

“I will stay with the 15s, and having built relationships with some of the girls already, I can probably ask more of them next year.”

A lot of the players Sarah coaches in the Academy were part of the State Team that impressed at the Emerging Matildas Championships in Sydney in July.

“That was a full circle moment for me,” she said.

“I was involved with those tournaments when I was younger, and back then we struggled. We weren’t as fit, we weren’t as strong, and we didn’t have the player pool the Eastern states teams had; ultimately, we couldn't match them. 

“It was a pleasant surprise for me to see how much has happened in the 10–15-year period since I played and how well we matched them, especially the Under 15s. WA has grown so much, and the girls played so well. They were unlucky not to go further. It was a real eye-opener.”

• Football West acknowledges the support for our female football programs from the WA Government and the Department of Health and Aged Care through its Play Our Way program.