Gladesville Ravens may be the new team on the block in the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition, but they certainly have not looked out of place.
One of those helping motor the team forward is winger, turned midfielder, Georgia Vlangos.
The Ravens have only lost once in their first four outings, with Vlangos playing a key role in each game managing to get on the scoresheet also.
It’s Vlangos’ third season at the Ravens and she spoke about her experience with the club.
“I kind of stumbled into Ravens but was soon realised that I appreciated many of the ideals that the club represents. The club is passionate, collaborative, versatile, authentic and supportive,” Vlangos said.
Vlangos went on to highlight the football club’s importance in the community.
“It’s a club that has prided themselves on grassroots development which has been catalytic in the maturation of the club throughout the years and more recently in the growth of women’s football in the local area and on a greater scale,” she added.
Arriving on the big scene has been a difficult and bumpy ride for the Ravens but Vlangos stated that promotion was well deserved and the ultimate prize for all the hard work that was put in.
“It was pretty exciting to say the least.
“I think it was an accurate reflection of the amount of effort the club and the players have put in over the last few years, Vlangos said.
“It was absolutely the cherry on top of winning the Grand Final and Premiership and the club championship. I think that the success that we had last season is an experience that not many come by, so I feel extremely grateful to have been a part of it.”
The Ravens don’t intend on just being another number in the league or a ‘yo-yo’ club moving up and down the competitions, instead, they want to cement their place in the top flight of women’s football.
“This year we aim to solidify our presence in the competition in that we not only want to show our character but show that we can compete and get results against the top teams.
“As for how far the team can go, how long is a piece of string?”
Vlangos has played in the NSW top tier before when she represented the NWS Spirit (formerly Koalas) and Blacktown Spartans. She spoke about the rise of quality and competitiveness in the league.
“The league has easily gotten more competitive. From seeing a lot of familiar faces and having grassroots players within each club really show their character to having A-League players in nearly every team, said Vlangos.
“It’s amazing to see and a pleasure to be a part of. Personally, the growth in competitiveness has really reignited my passion for the game.
“I feel quite motivated to continue to grow as a player and distinguish myself and my playing style from others.”
By – Nikola Pozder