As the 2020 NSW NPL season draws to a close, Sydney University are the only undefeated side remaining, sitting on top the table with five wins and two draws from seven games.
Being undefeated is nothing new for this team. The last time they tasted defeat was 27 games ago, when they lost 2-1 to Football NSW Institute on 29 March 2019. As the league leaders prepare for a four game stretch that could end with a historic third consecutive Premiership and Club Championship, Beyond 90 asked four key figures for their thoughts on the Sydney University program, as well as their own future ambitions.
Alex Epakis – The Head Coach
To say that Alex Epakis has had a meteoric rise in coaching is an understatement. The 29 year old is Australia’s youngest A-Licence holder, having completed that qualification when he was 26, and is in line to be the youngest Pro-Licence candidate. He moved into the Sydney University head coaching role for the start of the 2018 campaign after previous experience at Canberra United and the Sydney FC boys Academy, leading Uni to two Premierships and a Grand Final victory. Epakis was also head coach of the Sydney University men’s side until the end of last season.
He has a clear coaching philosophy and an almost unshakeable belief in his players to get the job done on game days. It will come as no surprise that Sydney Uni’s most recent loss did not result in any changes to the way they play.
“When we lost that game against Institute early last season, I thought very clearly, we just need to do what we do, but even better. I believe we’re the best team when we perform 110% in every match, regardless of the opposition.”
In this unbeaten run, Sydney Uni have kept an incredible 21 clean sheets in 27 games, conceding only eight times. A possession-based and aggressive pressing philosophy has contributed massively to their record.
“I want my teams to be recognisable through a certain style of play and we want to be relentless with and without the ball. We aim to keep possession and build up with certain structures with players linked close together, so that means when we lose it, we’ve got enough players around the ball very early to smother any potential counter attack. The moment we lose the ball, we want to win it back, so we can attack again. Our style of play is important to me and the team.”
Despite all their recent success, Uni strive to constantly improve the standard. When speaking to Epakis, two factors that stand out are the treatment of 1st Grade and Reserve Grade players as one squad, and the work done to improve the versatility of those players.
“When I became the head coach, I made sure that this 1st Grade / Reserve Grade terminology was limited. As much as possible within the club, we try to not use the words ‘1st Grade’ and ‘Reserve Grade’, whether it be at training or from the office point of view, we just call it the senior squad.
“We train in a very specific way where every player learns the required tasks and roles of their position. My staff and I aim to ensure that the players are clear on the game plan going into every match. We train and prepare very well and I have complete faith and trust that the playing group will execute on match day.”
It may come as a shock to learn that despite all their recent success, the average age of the Sydney University squad is just 21. However, in the form of long time W-League player Kendall Fletcher and Irish international Julie-Ann Russell, Epakis can also call on plenty of experience. He is glowing in his praise of both players.
“Those two are sort of an extension of me within the squad in terms of leadership, and I’m flexible with them because they’ve got big careers in their own life away from football.
“No words could describe how much they bring to the group. We’ve got such a competitive squad and it’s very easy for younger players to feel a bit disappointed, drop their shoulders when things aren’t going well. Then you’ve got Jules and Fletch, leading through words and body language. As a coaching group, we’ve got two or three coaches, but we’ve got close to 40 players. It’s important to have great leaders to assist the coaching staff.”
While Epakis has rock solid faith in his players, he is still open to new players joining the squad. Perhaps the most notable of Uni’s 2020 acquisitions are Melbourne Victory player / former Young Matildas captain Grace Maher and former Matilda Michelle Heyman. Epakis explained that a relationship built with both players while working at Canberra United was behind the move.
“I met Grace when I was the assistant coach at Canberra a few seasons ago, and I was very fortunate to form a good bond with her. She’s got a great football mind, she thinks like a coach, she talks like a coach. We kept in touch the last few seasons and then it so happened that she wasn’t going overseas this year. She was happy to move down and we’re very proud and lucky to have her as part of the squad this season.
“Michelle reached out recently and spoke to me of a potential desire to start training and playing again ahead of a potential W-League return. It was a really quick and easy conversation for us to agree on her coming into the club and I am really looking forward to having her leadership and quality around the club in the run in home. Senior players like her can have a significant impact on all aspects within the team.”
As for what the future holds, Epakis isn’t certain about where he will be next season but is determined to keep developing as a coach and work in environments that can both challenge and improve him. He currently also holds a role as an FFA Senior Coach Educator and has a strong passion for developing other coaches to help improve the overall game. His success and resume as a senior coach coupled with his involvement as a coach educator ensures that he has a bright future ahead.
“I want to continue to work in environments where I can bring my coaching vision to life and test my process at the highest possible level of competition. I’m doing my Pro Licence shortly and I’m really excited to further develop and learn throughout the course. I’m going to be exposed to some great learning opportunities that will challenge and develop me further. I believe strongly in my body of work and approach, but I am always looking for ways to improve. I want to be completely ready and prepared for when the next step in my coaching journey presents itself.
“The last three seasons have been unforgettable and provided me with so many fond memories and learning opportunities. The players and my support staff have created such a great environment and developed an unbeatable culture. We are proud of our achievements to date and we are very aware it has only come through everyone applying the necessary effort and determination. ”
Taren King – The 1st Grade Captain
Taren King has certainly had plenty of practice in lifting trophies. 2019 was King’s first season as the Sydney University club captain, and she helped guide the Students to the NSW NPL Treble (Premiership, Grand Final & Club Championship). Now in her ninth year at Sydney Uni, the 23 year old cites academic opportunities as a main factor for joining the club, despite initially having to commute from Shellharbour.
“I was in high school and I didn’t have my driver’s licence yet, so mum was driving me up for training and games every week. That was a good challenge for me, doing my HSC in the back of the car, but I made it through.
“Playing for the club puts us up for the chance to get a scholarship at uni, and the fact that they offer so much support in terms of touring and timetable help, at the time that probably more spoke to my parents, but it was definitely an encouraging factor for me as well.”
Like Epakis, King is very clear in emphasising that Sydney University’s senior players are treated as one group. She also sees shared ambition amongst the squad as something that builds cohesion.
“Since I’ve been at the club it’s definitely changed. When I first started out in Ressies, it was very much a Ressies and a 1st Grade, and the Ressies were definitely a tier down. It’s something that I’m personally pretty proud of, to be able to say that we’re one squad.”
“Everyone wants to take that next step, whether it’s from Ressies to 1st Grade or 1st Grade to W-League, or whether players have aspirations to play for the national team, or go overseas. I think that those goals that we all have to be better and to keep striving to succeed in all different aspects of our lives really bring us together.”
King’s involvement with the club isn’t limited to a playing role. She is now into her third year of coaching and is working with the next generation of Sydney University players.
“This year I’m with the under-12s, I’ve had them for the last couple of years since they were under-10s. It’s really nice to be able to see these kids that are inspired by the older players and one day, who knows? We might be playing together.”
Her decision to move into coaching was inspired by Sydney University youth coaches Amy Shepherd and Emily Husband, and King has great respect for the pair.
“A couple of years ago they were the Ressies coaches, and having one squad you become very involved with both 1st Grade coaches and Ressies coaches. So I became quite good mates with them and they brought a few of the players, it was Ariane Demetriou and Victoria Guzman (and myself), we all became coaches of the SAP teams.
“I was Em’s assistant for the under-10s, so I had a really good role model to learn from in terms of how to coach young kids, the philosophies and the values that you should be trying to implement, inspiring them to enjoy what they’re doing, and having fun at training.
“I’m constantly going to them for advice, whether that be trying to manage behaviour, coaching styles or coaching decisions. I’m still learning from them and it’s great to have them back here this year helping everyone out.”
King’s move into coaching and passion for helping children has influenced her study choices: now she is working towards becoming a teacher.
“I actually started doing my primary teaching degree because of coaching. The under-10s convinced me that I should get into teaching because I quite enjoy coaching and I like working with young kids.”
Julie-Ann Russell – The International Player
It’s one of the best kept NSW NPL secrets: there is a player with 59 caps for the Republic of Ireland playing in the competition. Galway native Julie-Ann Russell moved to Australia in June 2017 due to a combination of work and family reasons, and the 29 year old has firmly established a reputation as one of the league’s most dangerous attacking players.
“I moved because of work, my sister also lives over here, so that was another factor. I work with Microsoft, and I got afforded the opportunity to transfer offices from the Dublin office to the Sydney office. When the offer came about it was a no-brainer for me to get that experience.”
Russell wasted no time in finding a club after arriving in Australia, joining Sydney Uni almost immediately. When asked why she was so quick to link up with the club, Russell replied, “A good reputation and really good facilities. I played for a club back in Ireland (UCD), you could study there but you didn’t have to be a student to play. I thought it (Sydney University) would be quite similar. I made that decision back then and I haven’t looked back since.”
She certainly hasn’t looked back. Russell has scored 22 goals in 50 games for the Students, a ratio made even more impressive because she often plays on the wing or as an attacking midfielder, rather than as a centre forward. Her achievements have been noticed on the other side of the world, with Russell receiving a surprise recall to the Republic of Ireland squad last year.
“I was shocked and didn’t see it coming, however I’m completely honored at being asked to come back. For them to fly me back and forth from Australia is amazing and I’m super grateful for the opportunity that I’ve been given.”
As Sydney University works towards what would be a historic hat trick, Russell acknowledges the impact that bringing 1st Graders and Reserve Graders into one group has had on the club’s results.
“It’s important not to have that divide, and I think it helps maintain standards because everyone is fighting for a position. No one is relying on their name, it’s just week in week out, you need to be playing well in training and performing at the weekend.”
It’s clear that Russell is happy at Sydney University, so much so that she provided a reference when Alex Epakis applied for the Pro Licence course. For Russell, it was an easy decision, and Epakis believes her reference got him into the course after he was turned down two years ago.
“Alex has been amazing to me since day one when I arrived at the club, and I’ve really seen him evolve as a coach. He treats it like it’s a professional club, and I think that shows with players wanting to join Sydney Uni as well.”
Going forward, Russell will continue to be involved with the Republic of Ireland national team, Sydney University and the Microsoft sales division. She is well aware of the challenges posed by juggling multiple commitments, however that won’t lower her ambition in everything she does.
“The main aim with Ireland is to qualify for the European Championships, and then from a Sydney Uni point of view, is to win the Premiership and the Grand Final again this season.
“I want to continue building my career in Microsoft. I think the competitiveness in sport has transferred to my business career life, so I will want to be successful as I am in football, in my career.
“It’s quite an ask. Because I’ve always played while studying, and then in my working career I’ve always done both, I kind of know no different, however I have to be quite diligent in how I look after myself, from both work and from a football perspective.”
She may even consider playing in the W-League, should the opportunity arise.
“Previously the last two seasons, with work, it hasn’t really come into fruition. I think COVID-19 has kind of played in my favour because you can work from home, so I do believe this season I am open to playing [in the W-League].”
Georgia Pollitt – The Reserve Grade captain
Like Taren King, Georgia Pollitt has been at Sydney University for nine seasons. The 20 year old from Sydney’s Inner West was originally attracted by the prospect of being able to balance studies with football, while also receiving support for both.
“I think personally it has the best pathway for young girls because there’s the university aspect, so you can become a student athlete when you’re older, and it supports you the most in terms of education and schooling commitments. I’ve been able to do both very efficiently throughout the nine years that I’ve been there due to the support from the club. In terms of balancing that training load and school load, they’re excellent at it. I think that’s something they prioritise really well.
“Also, they have some of the best facilities in the National Premier Leagues, because they have access to pretty much everything at the uni.”
Normally a centre forward or winger, Pollitt is in her first season as the club’s Reserve Grade captain. The appointment might have been unexpected, but she is willing to step up to the task.
“Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise but I can see why they decided to choose me (as Reserve Grade captain). I definitely like to be more vocal on the field when I play. I feel a bit more responsibility when the team’s down, and in training I really try to lift the intensity by being vocal, because I know now that if I’m low, other people will be low.”
As with the others, the significance of a potential hat trick of 1st Grade Premierships and Club Championships is not lost on Pollitt. Sydney Uni are also in the running for three consecutive Reserve Grade Premierships.
“I think we set quite a high standard for the NPL, and I think to win one of those, or two or three of those would be huge, because it just goes to show the consistency and dedication of the squad.”
Pollitt genuinely enjoys the club’s “one squad” approach with their senior players, and recognises the effect it has had on the quality of Sydney Uni’s performances.
“It allowed us to all be like a big family. We’re all friends, there’s no social cliques, which I think can be important because if you get along off the field, you’re going to get along on the field. There’s no nastiness, there’s no falling out, it’s just a friendship where we’re all honest with each other.
“Because there are so many of us competing for spots, it allows us to really, really push each other in terms of training intensity, to prove ourselves and show that we want to be a part of that 1st Grade starting lineup.
“Every Friday we play a game, Reserve Grade vs First Grade, and it’s crazy to see how competitive we are as a squad compared to one of the best 1st Grade squads. I think it’s been one of the most beneficial things that Reserve Grade has had over these past three years, that we’ve been able to put ourselves up against the 1st Grade team and strive to achieve that level.”
Outside of football, Pollitt is enrolled in a communications degree, having recently transferred from sports & exercise science. An interest in global matters was the motivation for the switch, with Pollitt stating, “… its relevance within issues that are going on with the world and delving more critically into those issues, which are currently based especially on social media. I find that quite interesting, to study why these issues occur and how they occur, the data behind it and the people behind it.”
Sydney University’s unbeaten run can’t go on forever, but no matter what happens between now and the end of the season, everyone involved at the club can be proud of what they have achieved. They have been fascinating to observe, and it would take a brave person to bet against them making it a hat trick of Premierships & Club Championships.
