By Janakan Seemampillai
Geelong footballer Giselle Harris has played and loved the world game for over four decades.
Starting out as a 11-year-old in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, the now 55-year-old grandmother of three has shown no signs of letting up, still pulling on the boots for Barwon Soccer Club in the Geelong Region Women’s Division One competition.
Furthermore she is also pulling on the goalkeeping gloves in 2023, admitting she has no problems being in between the sticks.
“Football is my outlet, I’ve played since I was a child,” she said.
“I love competing and just love the feel of the game. I don’t mind playing in goals now, as I’ve played in that position in mixed indoor leagues, where we’ve won quite a few titles.”
Football is a family affair for Giselle, with her husband Dale and her son Tristan also at Barwon. Dale coaches the senior men’s team, winning a State League title last year, with 18-year-old Tristan joining the team this year after playing at the NPL level with local powerhouse North Geelong Warriors.
Giselle and Dale first met through football back in 2002, and fittingly their lives revolve around the world game.
“I met Dale at soccer 21 years ago and we got married on a soccer field in 2008,” she said.
“My eldest son is named Diego (after Diego Maradonna). Football continues to be an intricate part of our lives everyday.”
Through Diego (36) and her daughters Simonne (34) and Stephani (29), Giselle has been blessed with three grandchildren aged between 11 and 22 months, all of whom will undoubtedly be brought up with a ball at their feet.
Despite a busy life – she works as a sonographer and radiographer during the week – Giselle still looks forward to playing every weekend, and admits the 2023 World Cup is exciting especially since South Africa and the Matildas will be taking part.
“I love the progression of women’s football most of all and am just proud of how far women’s football has come,” she said.
“From us digging trenches in Port Elizabeth to physically plant our soccer posts, to the grand stadiums women play in today, it’s been brilliant to see how far the women’s game has come.
“It’s exciting to watch the Matildas and South Africa in Australia and New Zealand in a World Cup.”
Her Barwon team is sitting in fourth position so far in 2023, with Giselle keeping three clean sheets in six games.
“Yeah it’s been pretty good,” she said.
“Barwon is a great club to be a part of, and hopefully I have a few years left in me.”
It promises to be an exciting year for women’s football, and with the World Cup less than 50 days away, there will be plenty of heroes out there inspiring girls and women to play.
But it’s everyday heroes like Grandma G who are the heart and soul of the game in Australia.
