16 june, 2023 | Feature by Annabel Martin
Five Club Championships, five First Grade Premierships, two First Grade Championships: that’s what Sydney University Soccer Football Club (SUSFC) has been able to achieve in the past seven NPL NSW Women’s seasons.
It’s no wonder that, in that time period, all three head coaches who won a combined 12 trophies have earned the opportunity to take their knowledge and experience of the game to the next level.
At this year’s Blue & Gold night, Heather Garriock, Alex Epakis, and Emily Husband were part of a panel to discuss their coaching journeys, from first starting out at Sydney University, moving into the A-League Women, and how their experiences reflect the evolution of women’s football in Australia.
It wasn’t the first time the three head coaches had been in the same room before. Back in 2017, they had all worked closely together within the SUSFC senior set-up, with Husband the Reserve Grade coach, Garriock the First Grade coach and Epakis her assistant, before they each forged their own individual paths to where they are today.
Women’s Senior Squad 2017. Pictured: Heather Garriock, Alex Epakis, Emily Husband (Row 2)
Garriock first took the head coaching job in 2014. Despite playing for the Matildas, where she went to two Olympics and three FIFA World Cups over the course of her 130 Matilda caps, and having just given birth, John Curran was able to convince her to join SUSFC as a player-coach.
“[John Curran] was relentless in giving me the tools to say, ‘I know you're still playing for the Matildas, but at the same time, we're looking for a coach and one of the key things we're looking for in a coach is winning mentality,’” Garriock said.
““And with me, as you know, that’s one of my strengths: being a winner.””
And she proved just that, claiming the First Grade Championship in her second year and kick-starting Sydney University’s collection of silverware for years to come.
In addition to her football coaching, Garriock also studied at the University of Sydney earning her Master’s degree in Sports Coaching, giving her the academic backing to leverage her sports administration and coaching skills to now be a part of Football Australia’s board.
“I coached, but not only did I coach, I also studied here,” she said.
“John and the club, Bruce Ross, and all the players as well that I coached, completely changed my life. And here I am, sitting here today as a former Matilda, a former coach, but now a business executive as well.”
Epakis worked closely with Garriock as her assistant during her time at Sydney University, before the pair took their skills into their first ever A-League Women’s season with Canberra United in 2017.
Epakis then took over the role as Head Coach of Sydney University the following WNPL season as Garriock stayed in the Capital to coach Canberra United for the next two seasons.
“I was introduced to the [Women’s] game by Heather a number of years ago now,” Epakis said.
“[Joining Sydney University] changed my life as well. The role that John played and the club itself was huge. I think, for me, it was just such a great opportunity.
““Obviously people come to university to study. My study was on the pitch: it was an opportunity to learn and grow. It was like doing a Master’s degree.” ”
Drawing inspiration from his predecessor’s journey, Epakis was able to continue Sydney University’s dominant run, putting together a First Grade team that finished top of the table for all four years that he coached, and even going undefeated in 2020.
This exceptional record saw him follow Garriock’s footsteps in being appointed as Head Coach of an A-League Women team, making his way to Perth Glory for the 2021/22 season, where he continues to coach now.
From the outside looking in it seems like a clear and smooth pathway for coaches, however, as pointed out by Epakis, the climb to the top isn’t as simple as it may look.
He credits those years learning under Garriock as well as those four years as a head coach in the WNPL in allowing him to learn from his mistakes. Those mistakes have shaped him into the successful coach he is today, with his Perth Glory side missing out on finals this year by a single point.
“I think ultimately football is a pretty interesting journey. It's never linear, there’s curves, you just don't know what's going to come.”
“I made a lot of mistakes. I was able to learn from what I didn't do well, I was able to acknowledge what I could do well, and ultimately that's played a part in where I am currently,” he said.
Back at Sydney University, the job of First Grade Head Coach was once again open. Following the club’s recent history, they chose to trust from within, appointing long-time Sydney University youth coach, Emily Husband, who is still currently in charge.
“Obviously I've followed up from two previous coaches who got opportunities after coaching at Sydney University in the A-League,” Husband said.
“To then get that opportunity, I think that speaks volumes about how courageous [Curran] is in choosing who's being first grade head coach here, but also what sort of a platform it provides for us as coaches.”
Husband wasted no time in proving that the Club had made the right decision, claiming not only the Club Championship and First Grade Championship, but also taking out the 2022 WNPL NSW Coach of the Year.
And just like the two coaches before her, she too earned a call-up to the A-League becoming the Head Coach of the newly (re)introduced Central Coast Mariners for the 2023/24 season. She put her quick rise through the ranks down to the way that the club was set up for success.
“I look at what we have at Sydney University, [and] for me, it’s not comparable to what all the other clubs can offer,” she said.
““And that’s right down from S&C [strength and conditioning], through to the education, through to the facilities. ”
“It provides such a great platform for the players here, and that's for us coaches as well. There's not many A-League [clubs] that have as good of a set-up as what we do right now. So, I think being able to coach in that environment, it sets you up for that next level, and that's obviously got recognized.”
Garriock echoed Husband’s comments, praising the Club for convincing her to join all those years ago.
She also acknowledged the role the club has played in developing a new generation of footballers like Sydney University alumni’s, Clare Wheeler and Clare Hunt, both of whom are looking to earn their spot in the Matildas for the upcoming Women’s World Cup.
“It’s because it's a club like this — an amazing club like this, a progressive club like this — that actually accepted women's football when women's football wasn't cool. And for that, I'm forever grateful,” Garriock said.
“We’ve got young Clare Wheeler in the national team, we’ve got Clare Hunt; they’re superstars. They’re untouchable at the moment, and I'm just so proud that they are.
““I didn’t have many female role models when I was a young footballer... you can’t be what you can’t see. And so, in terms of that, I can’t wait to see the eyes of my two daughters seeing all the world’s best players running out and wanting to be like them one day. So that’s what I’m really looking forward to: the legacy it creates.” ”
Husband agreed that the upcoming World Cup has the ability to not only inspire the next generation, but also grow the wider women’s football community.
“I look at what happened in England post Euros, [and] what the Lionesses [did in making it] through the final,” she said.
“You look at what that's done in the footballing community... how that's grown in the crowds, you look at how that's grown in the communities around it. That was the inspiration that the Euros brought. And I think the World Cup will follow that.”
Epakis also reiterated Garriock’s and Husband’s excitement surrounding the impact the World Cup will have on Australia, as well as the flow on effect he sees it having at all levels of football, particularly the WNPL.
“I think ultimately once the World Cup hits here it's going to come like an avalanche. It’s going to be a launch pad for clubs at a community level, through WNPL, and obviously A-League and Matildas.
“The fact that we're going to have the opportunity to have the best players in the world, the best coaches in the world, on our doorstep this year, I hope, I genuinely hope, that there's a long-lasting legacy,” he said.
“What we do at WNPL level sets and underpins what's happening at A-League level, and the better that we do that here, means the quality pushing up to the next stage is better.
“And as players stay in A-League, it means the opportunity WNPL will have to grow, because there won't be as much crossover, which means the talent grows as well. As a result of that, women's football’s definitely got a really bright future ahead.”