Illawarra Stingrays junior turned senior Ella Giles remembers watching Mary Fowler playing first grade for the club whilst she was a youngster.
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Giles - who has played at the Stingrays for seven years from juniors into seniors - said she remembers fondly when now global superstar Fowler was playing for the Illawarra state league club whilst she was kicking around in the youth setup.
It has been a whirlwind few weeks or so for the NPL NSW club after two of its most famous graduates Fowler and Shellharbour-based Caitlin Foord have been part of the currently all-conquering Matildas team at the FIFA Women's World Cup.
![Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord are inspiring the Stingrays. Pictures by Adam McLean and Wesley Lonergan Mary Fowler and Caitlin Foord are inspiring the Stingrays. Pictures by Adam McLean and Wesley Lonergan](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181794477/3801630c-5880-4a92-b412-f37b69fd3159.jpg/r0_0_2400_1349_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Matildas marched into the quarter finals with a 2-0 win against Denmark in Sydney on Monday. The Danes had the better of the early stages but a simply lethal pass from Fowler into the path of Foord turned the tide completely.
From there Australia wrapped up a place in the last eight thanks to a Hayley Raso finish midway through the second half.
She said she had memories of watching Fowler in her early days that she would cherish forever.
"When I was in the juniors and watching Mary Fowler play first grade and train alongside a couple of those girls that played beside her, it is so inspiring and it just shows you how much development is happening in Australia," she said.
"I remember versing her in school soccer she was with Wollongong High. I remember her and her sisters dominating everyone," she laughed.
"Her positioning and movement off the ball and ability to play those through balls like we saw [against Denmark] were attributes that she had back then that she still does now.
"They [Fowler and Foord] dominated and it was so good to see with both players from the local comp playing for the Stingrays. It just shows you that girls from a small community town can make it to the big time."
Giles added that the World Cup was the topic on everyone's lips at the Stingrays right now.
"Every little conversation we have off the field is about the World Cup so it's pretty great."
![Stingrays player Ella Giles. Picture by Adam McLean Stingrays player Ella Giles. Picture by Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/181794477/d2aeb8dd-a140-4f1d-b594-195a42889970.jpg/r0_0_4836_3224_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Foord in particular has given quite a lot back to the club that brought her through the ranks. Prior to the tournament she surprised a bunch of Stingrays juniors by dressing up as a groundskeeper before unveiling her true identity at their training base Guest Park.
"The Stingrays were the first full-girls team that I played for, so I was able to make that step and be at the club for a couple of years before moving up towards Sydney and taking my game to the next level. It was a nice little pathway.
"I think every young footballer, female especially, will be excited about what's to come at this World Cup and it's amazing that we have this year, and that it's accessible. And I hope that these young girls make the most of it," she said prior to the tournament.
The Matildas will face France in Brisbane on Saturday August 12, kickoff 5pm.