July Newsletter

Young Football Ferns Profile: Megan Shea

Megan Shea celebrated her 16th birthday in Paraguay last week preparing for the most challenging games of her career so far.

The Christchurch native knows how important it is to impress coach Paul Temple while on tour given the fact she is one of only three Young Football Ferns based outside of Auckland. 

While Megan finds it challenging not training full time with the team, her family is certainly happy she’s still in Christchurch.

“In the 12 years that I’ve been playing football, my grandparents have only missed about 5 games,” says Megan. “My parents are also very supportive and always try to come and watch me play.”

The powerful defender started out in football like many fellow Young Ferns by watching her older brothers play and then quickly joining in.

“My brothers, Darren and Greg, played when they were younger, and Mum took me along to our local club, Burwood, when I was four,” she reveals. “I played midgets and have never looked back”.

Megan spent eight seasons at Burwood before switching to Woolston Technical then Mainland Player Development Academy squad and finally her current club Coastal Spirit. There she is coached by Young Ferns assistant coach Rowena Fulham and plays alongside New Zealand U-17 goalkeeper and good friend Victoria Esson. 

Megan trains everyday and uses the gym at her school Marian College four times a week.
The only thing that has ever threatened to get in the way of her football is basketball. The teenager has been involved in New Zealand training camps and at one point found it difficult to choose which sport to focus on.

“My decision to take a break from basketball had a lot to do with the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup,” she says. “This kind of thing only comes around once in a lifetime so I want to take the opportunity with both hands.”

Despite not training full time with the team in Auckland, Megan has enjoyed consistent selection for tours including a successful trip to Canberra in April where she helped the team win back-to-back tests against Australia's U-17 team.

On that Australian tour, Megan took part in all three matches which brought her tally of international caps to five.

The teenager is hoping her good form will continue so that she achieves her ultimate goal of representing New Zealand at the first ever FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.