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While most 15-year-olds are busy doing things they shouldn’t or arguing with their parents, Sydney FC’s Indiana Dos Santos has spent her school holidays focusing on winning a grand final.<\/p>\n
The teenager burst into Sydney’s A-League Women side late this year when they were down on troops but has made a case to become a permanent fixture.<\/p>\n
She has two assists and a goal in her last three starts for Ante Juric’s side.<\/p>\n
Her goal against Perth in March – at the age of 15 and 170 days old – made her the fifth-youngest scorer in the competition’s history.<\/p>\n
Among the names to score at a younger age, were Matildas stalwart Emily van Egmond and a certain Sam Kerr.<\/p>\n
“For me to be up there with someone like Sam Kerr is pretty special,” Dos Santos told AAP.<\/p>\n
“She’s a big inspiration of mine and she’s one of the best players in the world right now.”<\/p>\n
Even a more seasoned athlete might be uncomfortable being mentioned in the same breath as Australia’s greatest ever goalscorer, but not Dos Santos.<\/p>\n
“That’s a goal of mine, to be where she is now and playing in the Women’s Super League,” she said.<\/p>\n
“That’s where I want to be when I’m older.”<\/p>\n
Before fulfilling her European ambition, Dos Santos will hope to play in the Sky Blues’ semi-final meeting with Western United at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Shellharbour native’s rapid rise began last year when she was spotted by Juric, who saw her score and had her signed up within a week.<\/p>\n
But the trait Sydney coach admired the most was her ability to keep the ball against players who outmuscled the teenager.<\/p>\n
“They’re obviously a lot stronger than me and it’s hard to push them off the ball … but you’ve got to get stuck in,” she said.<\/p>\n
“I played in the boys’ team for a long time where I was the only girl, that always pushes you to be the best.<\/p>\n
“The boys would look at me (as if to say) ‘oh, you’re just a girl’… but you’ve got to prove them wrong and show them what girls are really like.”<\/p>\n
Originally, Dos Santos thought she would spend the year featuring in opposed sessions to Juric’s starting XI.<\/p>\n
But given her trajectory, the thought of returning to school with a medal is an enticing one.<\/p>\n
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show everyone what we have been working towards,” she said.<\/p>\n
“For me individually, it would be an amazing opportunity for me to play in that kind of atmosphere … I really want to come home with a trophy.”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n