UBC scoring star Danielle Steer wheels her method to distinguished function in professional debut in Aussie soccer loop

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Danielle Steer has been loading up her soccer resume over the previous few months.

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The 24-year-old from Surrey closed out her five-year profession with the UBC Thunderbirds within the fall because the all-time main scorer in Canada West Convention historical past, together with her 46 targets and 71 factors. She went to the professional ranks after that, signing on in December with enlargement Western United FC of Australia’s Liberty A-League Ladies, and he or she helped the squad advance to the championship sport within the 11-team loop, shedding there 4-0 to Sydney FC a few weeks in the past.

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She bought the beginning for Western United earlier than the league-record crowd of 9,519 at Western Sydney Stadium.

“I’m actually proud of the way it went as a first-time skilled,” she mentioned in an e mail. “It was a large studying expertise. Coaching and enjoying was exhausting technically, tactically, and bodily, and at occasions I struggled with maintaining, however I’m assured that it has made me a greater participant.

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“We made all of it the best way to the grand remaining and, regardless of the loss, I felt that the workforce and workers continued to help and uplift everybody — which isn’t all the time the case however I’m glad it was this time.”

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Western United (13-5-0) completed second to Sydney FC (13-4-1) within the common season. The playoffs had been three rounds. 

The A-League Ladies’s circuit began in 2008-09 and this was a fourth championship for Sydney FC. The league averaged crowds of 1,233 throughout the common season. 

Steer performed in 14 video games — together with six begins — for Western United, which is based within the western Melbourne suburb of Truganina. She had a pair of targets. Teammate Hannah Keane, a Sacramento native who performed collegiately at San Diego State, led the league in aim scoring (14).

Again in November, UBC entered the U Sports activities nationals in Quebec Metropolis as high seeds however had been outscored 5-4 in penalty kicks by Laval within the match opener after the groups performed to a 1-1 impasse by regulation and time beyond regulation. The T-Birds then beat York 4-1 and their arch nemesis Trinity Western 1-0 to win the comfort remaining and end the season 20-2-2.

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Steer wound up with 17 targets, which tied her for the workforce led with third-year midfielder Katalin Tolnai. Steer was identify Canada West participant of the yr and a U Sports activities first-team All Canadian. 

Throughout all competitions over her 5 years at UBC, Steer amassed 57 targets and 85 factors.

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Steer says that she had lengthy envisioned enjoying abroad after her college profession was full. She heard from different professional groups and maintains she wasn’t specializing in the A-League, however her mom is initially from Sydney, so there was a connection and the truth that she already held an Aussie passport made such a transfer simpler. Her preliminary conversations with Western United started in early December, and he or she left to hitch the workforce on Dec. 17, a day after her remaining examination at UBC.  

“Western United made me really feel valued as a participant. As soon as I bought there it was apparent my targets as a participant and the requirements the membership maintain the gamers to aligned properly,” the 5-foot-9 Steer defined.

“My time at UBC taught me loads about myself as an individual and a participant. After I began I used to be a extremely keen participant but in addition naive. I made loads of errors however I used to be held to a really excessive commonplace and was capable of shortly adapt. I feel my fashion of play has matured loads since my first yr. I grew into my place up entrance and found out the right way to use my physique extra effectively.”

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Steer was part of the 2019 UBC workforce that received the U Sports activities nationwide titles. Steer’s Canada West totals higher the earlier mark of 65 factors, set by UBC’s Jasmin Dhanda from 2013-17. 

She’s enjoying this summer season with Nautsa’mawt FC in League1, the B.C. semipro loop. The workforce was fashioned in December 2021 underneath the Varsity FC banner, attributable to its partnership with the Thunderbird groups, nevertheless it was rebranded when Hope and Well being For Life Society took over possession earlier this yr. 

Twitter: @SteveEwen

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