ARGIRO Karallis hadn’t put on a pair of boots in seven years. She hadn’t kicked a soccer ball in that time – hadn’t even touched one. Life had got in the way. It was work. She was busy.
But by the time she put her football boots on in May, little did Karallis know her life was about to change.
After an impressive season with Irymple Knights in front of goal, Karallis, who scored 29 goals in seven games, was ready to rekindle her dreams of playing soccer at a higher level.
“By playing this year, I’ve been more passionate about the sport. This year has been incredible with my soccer career … and I was actually quite surprised (after) having that seven-year break.
“I’ve probably got another five or six years left in the sport and I’d like to pursue it playing (in a stronger league).
“After this year I really want to take (soccer) further.”
Karallis said the growth of female sport in the seven years since she last played had spurred her to try to pack up her things and move to the city. “When I was younger and I had that opportunity to play higher leagues in soccer, women’s sport wasn’t big. So no one was really interested in it. It wasn’t like how it is now.
“I’ve still got it. I’ve still got the technique. I’ve still got the skills. I would love to take (soccer) further if I can.”
For fellow Irymple player Merrinda Hill, who returned to the Irymple side in 2020 after helping her Sussex County Community College side in New Jersey claim its first women’s regional title ever, her experience playing abroad suggested to her that Karallis’ skill warranted her playing at a higher level in the sport.
“Overseas, I played with girls that would practice every day and were receiving the best coaching. And I would say she’s even better than them.
“I’ve always thought of her going further with soccer – playing professionally,” Hill said.
Hill and Karallis developed together as juniors, carving out time playing mixed squads as they developed their skills.
“There weren’t under 13 or 16 girls (for us). It was always mixed with the boys. I think that helped both of us be strong and aggressive, and resilient too because, unfortunately, boys don’t want to pass the ball to girls.
“Because of that we’ve kind of learned to go get the ball ourselves,” Hill said.
Over the course of the 2021 Football Federation Sunraysia season, as Karallis rekindled her passion for the game, her technical skill did not go unnoticed by opponents.
“It (was) just really nice to hear the opposite team, at the end of the game, come up to me and tell me I’m inspirational – (that) they absolutely enjoy watching me play on the field even if they’re losing,” Karallis said.
“They love the technique and the way I play and it inspires those girls to try harder. That’s what I want in the female sports. I want them to look up to someone.”
While Karallis knew what she wanted to do next with her life, how she would go about achieving it remained uncertain. For now, she said she would make contact with different leagues to see where she could play next.
At 31-years of age, she didn’t feel too old to make the decision to follow her dream. This time life wouldn’t get in the way. She was ready.
“If I make it, I make it. And if I don’t, then it’s not gonna hurt me.
“I’ll just know that I had a good career.”
