The New Zealand U-17 women’s football team will arrive at the ISPS Handa Halberg Awards looking to celebrate an unforgettable World Cup campaign in 2018.

The Leon Birnie-coached team, who made history in Uruguay last year when they became the first New Zealand national team to claim a bronze medal at a FIFA event, are finalists in four categories at New Zealand’s premier sports awards.

They are nominated for Team of the Year, Coach of the Year (Leon Birnie), Emerging Talent (Anna Leat) and New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment (Anna Leat), the latter for her role in the dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Japan to make the semi-finals.

It is the first time New Zealand Football has had four finalists for the ISPS Handa Halberg Awards. Back in 2010, the All Whites, who famously went undefeated at the FIFA World Cup that year in South Africa, were finalists in three Halberg Awards.

On that occasion, the All Whites claimed the Supreme Halberg Award, Team of the Year and also New Zealand’s Favourite Sporting Moment. All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen was also a finalist for Sportsman of the Year but missed out to All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

Andy Boyens, New Zealand Football's Interim Technical Director, was a member of that All Whites squad who made headlines in South Africa nine years ago and says it is special for the New Zealand U-17 women to be recognised.

“We are so proud of these young women,” Boyens says.

“They represented New Zealand so well, both on and off the field, at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Uruguay and deserve to be recognised among the best performances from our Kiwi athletes on the world stage in 2018," he adds. 

“Whether they win tonight or not is irrelevant really. It is a celebration of all New Zealand sporting achievements in 2018 and it is great to have football part of that. We wish them all the best.”

Birnie, the former New Zealand U-20 women’s head coach, did a fine job guiding this squad of young women to an incredible run. He is in some elite company for the Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year alongside Allan Bunting, Clark Laidlaw, Joe Schmidt (all rugby union) and Gordon Walker (canoe racing).

Leat, the impressive 17-year-old goalkeeper who will travel with the Football Ferns to Australia next week for the Cup of Nations, says her and her team-mates are looking forward to dressing up for New Zealand’s sporting night of glitz and glamour.

“Getting nominated for the Halbergs was never in our thinking because it is such a huge honour,” Leat says.

"It will be great to be there with all of the other amazing athletes. We will probably feel a little bit out of place, the young girls all dressed up, but it is going to be an awesome night and we can’t wait to be part of it.”

Leat says the team knew they had achieved something special with their performance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and coming home to be recognised in this way elevated their achievement.

“Being acknowledged at this sort of level highlights that we did something really cool. We kind of knew it was a big deal at the time, because of our personal goals, but coming home it has been amazing to see the impact it had back here in New Zealand.”

ISPS Handa Halberg Awards Finalists

ISPS Handa Team of the Year

All Black Sevens (rugby union)
Black Ferns Sevens (rugby union)
NZ Football Under-17 Women (football)
NZ Women's Kayaking Team (canoe racing)
Black Sticks Women (hockey)

Buddle Findlay Coach of the Year

Allan Bunting (rugby union)
Clark Laidlaw (rugby union)
Gordon Walker (canoe racing)
Joe Schmidt (rugby union)
Leon Birnie (football)

SKY Sport Emerging Talent Award

Amelia Kerr (cricket)
Anna Leat (football)
Josh Armit (yachting)
Lewis Clareburt (swimming)
Maddison-Lee Wesche (athletics)

New Zealand's Favourite Sporting Moment

Nico Porteous and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (skiing and snowboarding)
David Liti (weightlifting)
Kelly Brazier (rugby union)
Black Sticks Women (hockey)
Amelia Kerr (cricket)
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (rugby League)
Auckland Rugby (rugby)
Black Caps (cricket)
Anna Leat (football)

Article added: Thursday 21 February 2019