Belinda Kitching

Belinda Kitching
Personal information
Date of birth (1977-07-15) 15 July 1977 (age 47)
Position(s) Goalkeeper[1]
Youth career
Coalstars (now part of Ipswich Knights FC)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996 – Coalstars [2]
1996 – Queensland Academy of Sport[3]
2001–2006 Tweed Heads [4]
2006–2016 United Warriors, Hervey Bay [5]
International career‡
1996–1999 [6] Australia 32
Managerial career
2002–2006 Tweed Heads
2006–2016 United Warriors, Hervey Bay
2016 – 2019 Western Pride FC
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 June 1999 (before the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup)

Belinda Kitching (born 15 July 1977) is an Australian football coach and former goalkeeper for the Australia women's national soccer team.

Playing career

Kitching played junior football for Coalstars in Ipswich, before progressing to the senior team where she won the Football Brisbane Women's Premier League Player of the Season in 1996.[7] The same year, she was selected for the Queensland Academy of Sport women's football program, where she played in the fledgling national women's competition.

In 1996, Kitching was selected for the Australia women's national soccer team. She was part of the team at the 1998 OFC Women's Championship and started two group games at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.[8]

Kitching played 36 times for the Matildas and recorded 9 clean sheets.[9]

Coaching career

Kitching played for Tweed Heads Women from 2001, before taking over the coaching role a year later. After five years, she moved north to Hervey Bay to become player coach at United Warriors, a post she held until 2016.

In October 2016, Kitching returned to her home town of Ipswich to become senior women's coach of Western Pride FC, having gained her Football Federation Australia B license the previous year.[10]

Personal life

Kitching is the granddaughter of Socceroo George "Fat" Kitching, while her father George Jnr was also a goalkeeper who represented Queensland.[11][12]

References

  1. ^ Thomas, G. "Belated honour a feather in the cap for former Matilda". Fraser Coast Chronicle. APN. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Player of the Year". Football Brisbane. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  3. ^ Georgaras, Peter. "1996/97 Season Round 4 Results". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. ^ Philips, Tania. "Bulwarks of Tweed soccer calling it quits". Tweed Daily News. APN. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  5. ^ McInerney, Matthew. "Former Matilda keeps Warriors on track to finals". Fraser Coast Chronicle. APN. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. ^ OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE OF AUSTRALIA AT THE FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP GERMANY 2011 (PDF). Sydney: Football Federation Australia. 8 July 2011. p. 53. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. ^ "Player of the Year". Football Brisbane. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  8. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup USA 1999 – Australia". FIFA Women's World Cup United States 1999. FIFA. 1999. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2007.
  9. ^ OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE OF AUSTRALIA AT THE FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP GERMANY 2011 (PDF). Sydney: Football Federation Australia. 8 July 2011. p. 55. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  10. ^ McKenzie, Garry. "Kitching coup for Ipswich football". The Queensland Times. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  11. ^ Thomas, G. "Belated honour a feather in the cap for former Matilda". Fraser Coast Chronicle. APN. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  12. ^ Lems, David (20 April 2013). "Grandsons carry on Pride in representing Ipswich". The Queensland Times. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 23 February 2017.


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