SOCCER
KALLISTA Tzelios is a force of nature. The Seaford United captain has taken the last three State League seasons by storm and at 24 years old has been lauded as one of the best players outside Victoria’s elite NPLW competition. But her story would have been so much different if not for the intervention of her mother Louise.
Tzelios started playing with Seaford as a junior progressing to junior girls NPL with Southern United and making her senior debut with the now defunct Bayside United. But she didn’t enjoy her NPL experience. “I fell out of love with the game,” Tzelios said. “I couldn’t put up with the politics and when you look at the training schedule and also training with an academy my whole week seemed to be taken up with football.”
She walked away from the sport when she was 19 preferring “to travel and to enjoy my life.” That was the start of a three-year hiatus which promptly ended when her mother walked into her daughter’s bedroom to tell her that the pair had been registered to play with Seaford again. Louise Tzelios’ intervention in her daughter’s sporting direction is the greatest gift she has given to the North Seaford Reserve outfit.
Seaford legend Andy Lancaster was head coach of a newly formed squad that spearheaded the club’s revival of its senior women’s program which had ended a couple of seasons earlier due to lack of numbers.
The new Seaford women’s team was offered a spot in State League 4 South and readily accepted. It was the right decision as the team finished runner-up and won promotion. Referees vote on a 3-2-1 basis after every match to decide the best player in the competition.
Kallista Tzelios stood head and shoulders above every other player in the league polling 35 votes in 2023 while the runner-up was 14 votes adrift. Tzelios scored 18 goals from an attacking midfield position just three goals behind the league Golden Boot winner.
Mother and daughter were two of the first names pencilled in on Seaford’s teamsheet and that didn’t change the following season when Seaford took on State 3 South-East opponents. The outcome didn’t change either. Seaford finished second to Aspendale and Tzelios again was voted league best and fairest.
Winning back-to-back promotions was a fitting end to her mother’s career and at 51 years olds Louise Tzelios retired. The challenge of playing at State 2 South-East level this year was met and conquered in similar fashion to previous seasons and Seaford finished runner-up a point behind Aspendale.
Yet again Kallista Tzelios won league best and fairest honours but this time she also won the league Golden Boot award with 22 goals one more than Aspendale scoring machine Lily Smith.
Lancaster had pushed Tzelios into a central striking role and the move was spectacularly successful. There now was an increasing line of suitors trying to prize Tzelios from Seaford’s grasp. The list of clubs that have chased her signature is impressive. It includes Southern United, Collingwood City, Ringwood City, Dandenong City, Aspendale and Geelong.
“They pretty much know now what my response will be,” Tzelios said. “When they ask what will it take I tell them when Seaford doesn’t have a women’s team.” The admiration between player and coach is mutual and Tzelios thrives under Lancaster’s approach. “He’s more laid-back than what I’d been used to and he gives me the freedom to enjoy myself,” she said.
As for Lancaster he recognised the young star’s talent immediately. “Her goalscoring ability and her leadership stood out,” he said. “She is good on the ball and determined to improve both herself and her teammates. “Kallista will most likely play up top again next year but if she moves it will still be to an attacking position.”
Next year State 1 presents the greatest challenge yet to Lancaster’s squad but Tzelios isn’t fazed. “I want to see how far we can go maybe even to the NPL,” she said. “I know it’s a high standard and a different ball game to State 2 but I still expect us to do well.”
So does her coach. “The coaching group watched a few State 1 games this year so we know what type of competition we will be up against,” he said. “It certainly is a big step from State 2 but I feel we will be ready for the challenge and our expectation of our group is that we will be challenging for promotion again.”
Lancaster has arranged three friendlies in February and March next year. They are all at the club’s North Seaford Reserve headquarters: v. Southern Utd, Saturday 22 February, 3pm; v. Chelsea, Friday 27 February, 7.30pm; v. St Kilda, Saturday 28 March, 3pm.
Check social media closer to the dates for confirmation of kick-off times.
In VPL1 news Langwarrin lost 2-1 to Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve last weekend.
The visitors led when recruit Alun Webb scored in the 25th minute after being played in behind the defence by a Luke Goulding ball then rounding the keeper and finishing. Thunder equalised 10 minutes later after a defensive mistake led to a penalty.
Both teams made 11 changes in the second half and Thunder scored with the last kick of the game after another error gave the home side a simple chance.
This Saturday Langwarrin takes on Altona City at Lawton Park.
The seniors kick off at 10.30am and the U20s/23s kick off at 12.30pm.
In other news Skye United went down 2-1 to Chelsea in their friendly last Thursday night at Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve then overpowered Hampton Park United 7-3 on Saturday at Reema Reserve.
On Thursday Skye and Chelsea were 0-0 at half-time thanks to a couple of fine saves from young Chelsea keeper Oliver Walder.
Skye triallist and former Langwarrin striker Allen Dzemidzic opened the scoring but Daniel Vella equalised when he lobbed the keeper. The winner came 15 minutes to go and no prizes for guessing it was Chelsea talisman James Stinson who provided it firing home from close range.
It was a different story on Saturday with Skye enjoying the giant’s share in a 10-goal scoring feast. Skye’s scorers were Varmah Mgoneh (2), Dzemidzic (2), Emmanuel Scarlett, Malle Samson and Suji Mohammadi.
