When he was a junior player, James Kelly became friends with Amy Harrison, another local kid who loved the round ball game.
Harrison, born April 1996, went on to become a football superstar, playing for Sydney FC at the age of 16, and being named W-League young player of the year in 2014.
National honours also came along quickly for the young midfielder from Macarthur, eventually playing 13 games for Australia, including 10 for the Matildas.
Harrison then headed overseas, playing in Europe and the USA, before returning to Australia.
Now 29, Harrison is a key player for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League women’s premiership.
But however high her career went, and how far she went to play, Amy Harrison never forgot where she came from.
“I’m a proud Westie,’’ she told a sports journalist when she made the move to the Wanderers.
This is where her junior football friend James Kelly comes in.
In 2023, Mr Kelly, who is the current president of St Mary’s Eagle Vale Soccer Club, came up with the idea of honouring his former soccer mate Amy Harrison.
On Sunday, March 8, Kelly and the club will be holding the annual Amy Harrison Cup day at Kooringa Reserve, Raby
It will be a much, much bigger affair than the first one.
“In 2026 which is set to be our biggest yet, we are looking at having 120 teams competing, from ages 4 and up, seniors, over 30s and all age groups in between,’’ says Mr Kelly.
“The tournament will also host female teams from all over Sydney, as well as regional NSW places such as Goulburn, Orange and Lake Macquarie.
“We’ve even had interest from NPL clubs now wanting to be involved.
“It’s incredible to see a small pre season tournament in a few short years become the largest all female football tournament in NSW.’’
While the tournament is now so big it also morphs into a huge celebration of women’s football, it all started with just one particular female player in mind, Amy Harrison.
“Amy is a St Mary’s Eagle Vale SC junior,’’ explains Mr Kelly.
“She started in soccer as a young girl at our club, and at the time, being close in age, I was friends with her – and we have stayed in contact two decades later.
“As a club we are extremely proud of all that Amy has accomplished in the game and continues to as Western Sydney Wanderers captain,’’ he said.
“I had the idea in 2023 to put together an all female round robin tournament in her name, to honour all she has done in football, pay tribute to where she started as a player, and her being someone so many young female footballers in the area admire so much.
“It’s also a small way to honour our great club, which while not as big as we once were, have produced so many great players and provided so many opportunities to players over the years.
“Our club was one of the pioneers in women’s football in the Macarthur area in the early days, and which Amy is a product of,’’ Mr Kelly said.
Last year’s Amy Harrison Cup coincided with very hot conditions on the day.
Yet Kooringa Reserve was heaving with female football players and their families and friends.
“At one time roughly 4-5 thousand people were across the two complexes,’’ says Mr Kelly.
“Thank you to our star Amy Harrison herself, who spent the entire day out at the field in the sun, talking and taking photos.’’
SNAPSHOT:
WHAT Amy Harrison Cup 2026
WHEN Sunday, March 8
WHERE Kooringa Reserve, Raby
