From the very time Miley Shipp ran on to the Ron Dine Memorial Reserve field in the inaugural Lyre Bird Cup football match it was obvious she was a football player with an X-factor.
It was also the first time fans in Macarthur caught sight of her football skills.
That was in 2022 as part of the Dharawal Cup festival of Indigenous football event.
This event was the brainchild of the Camden Tigers Indigenous Football Program (IFP) and Miley, who hails from Dubbo, was one of the first players selected for the inaugural under 16 clash.
The Wiradjuri girl received the player of the match award after an eye catching performance. A year later, Miley had the privilege to captain the Lyre Bird Cup team for Camden Tigers IFP.
She was also selected in the NSW Country team of 2022 to compete at the national championship.
Her third appearance in Camden Tigers IFP colours has seen Miley continue on her meteoric rise in football.
The 15 year old will make her international debut on Sunday, July 9 when she lines up with the IFP women’s team against the NZ Maoris as part of the Festival of Indigenous Football and NAIDOC Week.
“It’s a wonderful time for Miley and her family,’’ says IFP deputy director Brenden Broadbent.
“The IFP is about opportunities, and we are very comfortable with her selection.
“She hasn’t put a foot wrong in our previous games, so selecting her was very simple, there’s no doubt she has grown in her football journey.’’
Miley herself says she is proud to be a part of Indigenous football initiatives and attributes her success to the support and encouragement from Camden – IFP over the past couple of years.
