NAIDOC soccer star feeling Shipp-shape for the future

Andrew Mathieson Published July 17, 2024 at 9.30am (AWST)

sport

Miley Shipp holds up the NAIDOC Cup trophy after captaining the Football NSW under-16 side (Image: Supplied)

There is a routine that for all intents and purposes defines Miley Shipp's busy teenage life.

Every week the Wiradjuri girl packs the playing kit that contains her team shirt, shorts, socks and boots, but in addition for the drive to another soccer game, she picks up a comfy blanket and a pillow to accompany her for an early-morning sleep in the back of the car.

That could very well be as much of her secret weapon as her trusty right boot shooting on goal.

That drive takes near five hours across 400 kilometres. And then there's the return trip, all on the same day.

"I'm pretty used to the travel by now," Shipp says.

"I normally sleep in the car a lot.

"The travel is definitely not an issue for me."

Rest assured the primarily central attacking midfielder is wide awake when that opening whistle is blown to kick-off the game.

No one is switched on more, even without an overnight stay in Sydney to rest for a Sunday game

For the past two seasons, the 15-year-old from Dubbo has played the round-ball game in the top NSW Girls Youth League One for University of New South Wales as she aims towards a goal of different kind: studying physiotherapy on the campus on which she plays home games.

Sore but satisfied on the way home after another hard-fought contest, the length of the day's trip covers basically the entire Wiradjuri Country, almost twice over on the return.

"Dad does all the driving," Shipp says.

"It's normally just me and dad that goes up. But mum will come up sometimes (for support)."

The former Dubbo RSL junior was recognised last year with a John Moriarty Foundation scholarship, established by the first Indigenous man to play for the Socceroos and represent Australia 64 years ago.

But for now, Shipp is yet to enrol in a school closer to her Sydney central club; being unable to find her suitable housing.

So the drive to the Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility in Newcastle for a second time in all three NAIDOC cups while representing an Indigenous under-16 Football NSW side against its Football Northern NSW counterparts is just par for the course.

What was irregular last week was benefitting from a three-night stay in a cosy bed from the Welcome to Country and a smoking ceremony onto the two legs of play over back-to-back days that had the body positively nourished.

"It definitely feels really different to other games," Shipp says to the build-up to the NAIDOC Cup.

"It's good to get out there and show how much our culture in the sport has grown over the years."

Highly regarded at the tournament each of the past three years, the Football NSW captain is all but the public face of the NAIDOC Cup.

There's barely a player, a coach or a volunteer back for another campaign she hasn't crossed paths with or recognise.

She is one of the very few boys or girls that have been called up over all three tournament years of the representative competition for either of the state's two federations.

Shipp has always been intent that no matter what on her playing agenda, she was not missing out on mixing it with the mobs.

"And I felt this year (the NAIDOC Cup) was way more connected," Shipp says.

"Everyone has been far more connected to the culture with each other – and it was also really fun."

The move from club to culture was akin to professional players being released by their cashed-up clubs and, all of sudden, being allowed to express their own football on the pitch.

"I feel like there is a lot more pride running around out there," Shipp says.

"I definitely feel like I am representing my mob out there compared to most other times."

Beyond standing out in the NSW youth leagues against all of Sydney's rising stars, in addition to being identified as a leading figure in the NAIDOC Cup's three years, Shipp has also been an automatic selection for NSW Country junior sides every year going back to 2022.

Other honours included playing representative football since just the age of 10. Shipp has also played in the 2023 international festival of Indigenous football against the New Zealand Maori, and also the 2022 and 2023 NSW women's First Nations festival.

In the corridors of not only Football NSW but the national headquarters down the road, Shipp has been whispered in dispatches of future ambitions where that attention even reached the offices at The New York Times' sports editorial department, The Athletic.

"I definitely am wanting to play in a A-League women's team and, if I can, I want to be a future Matilda," Shipp says.

"I have already been invited to train with the (West Sydney) Wanderers one time."

For the record, Football NSW won the 2024 NAIDOC Cup over the course of eight matches involving the eight overall games in the under-14 and under 16s girls and boys games.

NAIDOC Cup

Day 1

Under-14 Girls:

Northern NSW 0

Football NSW 4 (Tikka Jeffery, Isabella Langridge, Khloe Houghton, Maddison Houghton)

Under-14 Boys:

Northern NSW 3 (Will Hannah, Lachlan Blayden, Levi van Haren)

Football NSW 3 (Adam Mohana, Tyler Hawkett, Jake Wynne)

Under-16 Girls:

Northern NSW 1 (Kalani Ryan)

Football NSW 2 (Bonnie Joan Young x2)

Under-16 Boys: