Lucy Zeezou's Goal (21 page)

I'd always believed that football was a matter of life or death. But something in me had changed since I met Max – maybe there was more to life. I had to find him.

Coach James called us all together after we received our medals. ‘Lads, Zeezou, there isn't too much to say except that I'm extremely proud. You fought a very brave battle in extremely testing and unusual circumstances. It's great to see all your hard work translate into becoming the state champions. Brilliant, just brilliant!'

Our supporters gave us a raucous round of applause.

‘Also, a big thank you to all the parents for all your efforts and commitment to the team. We'll share a toast at our presentation night next Friday.'

To my surprise, Papa stepped in. ‘Coach, sorry to interrupt. I'm Pao … Lucy's papa.'

Everyone turned to him. Mama stood by his side, her red lips in a demure pout, her eyes concealed by oversized diamante sunglasses, while the photographers took their snaps. How embarrassing!

‘Yes, Mr Zoffi, I certainly know who you are. I'm a big
fan,' said Coach James. ‘I'm glad you and Mrs Zoffi made it to the final. You must be very proud of Lucy.'

‘Please, call me Paolo. I'm a very proud papa today. I'm impressed with the way Lucy and the boys played. You have some very talented players in your team. Congratulations.'

I could have died and gone to heaven.

He continued, ‘I'd like to invite everyone to celebrate the win tonight at my new favourite restaurant. I'm sure we can enjoy a good celebration.' Papa's invitation was received with shouts of approval from the parents.

My jaw dropped. Papa would usually shun this kind of thing, but he was showing me his full support. This was amazing! I couldn't have hoped for more.

Coach James was also thrilled. ‘Paolo, thanks for your generous offer. I think it's a great idea. We all deserve a celebration, and a week is too long to wait.' He winked.

This was such a surreal experience. I was leaving a football ground with a winner's medal around my neck and my parents supporting me. Life didn't get any better than this.

As the parents and players started heading off to the restaurant, Bella and Dylan came over with their mama.

‘Hey Bella! Hello, Mrs Jones – I mean, Helen. Thanks for coming to our game. This is my family …' I made the introductions.

‘It's lovely to meet you all at last. I'm glad to hear
that you'll be enjoying Australia for a little while longer. Unfortunately I can't make tonight's celebrations as I have to attend a fundraiser. You must all come over to our house one night for dinner. I'll have my assistant call you to make a time.'

Mama, always the networker, leapt in, ‘It's a shame you can't make it but we'd love to come over for dinner, thank you. And we'd love to have your family over in return, just as soon as we move into our new house. Lucy loves spending time with Bella and Dylan … I think we'll be seeing a lot more of each other.'

‘We'd like that very much. And Lucy, you must alert me straight away if you see or hear from Max. The lawyer has told me that he's in the clear and that no charges will be laid against him, but in the meantime he is supposed to stay with us until the Department of Community Services finds him a place to live. I would have thought that was good news.' Helen gave me a worried smile.

Max was in the clear! I had to find some way of telling him. But I kept a blank expression to avoid any suspicion. ‘That's great news.'

We all headed off to our cars. Once we were in ours, Mama unleashed. ‘Well, Lucia, what's going on here? You seem to have won the premier's support, but what I want to know is, how could you have lied all this time? I can't believe you've been running around playing
football behind our backs and having something to do with a street kid. Why would you betray us?'

‘I'm so sorry, Mama, but the one thing that I truly love was denied. You and Papa banned me from playing the game I love more than anything, so it was my only option. It's my dream to play football … it's all I want to do, it's where I belong.'

‘I've always had such big dreams for you. You could be an international model, admired everywhere you go. I just don't understand. I'm glad that you were being kind to someone less fortunate than yourself, but I'm concerned about your involvement with him.'

Papa joined in. ‘Yes, that's a major concern, but I do understand where Lucy's coming from. I know exactly how you feel, Lucy. It's a privilege to know what you want at such an early age. To have a dream and a chance to fulfil it is to have life.'

With Papa's blessing I was able to continue my moment of truth. ‘Mama you want me to follow your dream, but it's not for me. I want to live my dream and I hope that you'll support me. Please, Mama, please!'

Her mascara started to run as tears slowly flowed down her perfectly made-up face. She started to blot her cheeks with a handkerchief, but changed her mind and pulled me in for a fierce hug. ‘Well, I'll try to understand your choice. I just want the best for you. I thought that you loved modelling. But you looked so happy out there
today, just like your papa. How about our Love Lucy campaign, do you still want to do the commercial?' She pulled away and looked at me closely.

‘I'm honoured to be the face of the campaign. The commercial will be fun because it's for the family, plus I get to play with the football. It'll be a blast. Just as long as you know that football comes before modelling,' I said with conviction.

That felt good. The truth was certainly uplifting, and it was exciting and reassuring to know that my dream was finally supported by my family – well, nearly. It might take Mama a bit of time to get used to it, but as long as I compromised with a few fashion appearances, it sounded like she might be happy.

But our family bonding session was cut short. We arrived at my grandparents' shop – to the awaiting media. Cameras flashed. The bright lights nearly blinded us as we raced to the front door.

Papa tried to shield us, but they were unstoppable.

‘Did you know Max Spitzer has just been found?'

‘What do you think about his reconciliation with his uncle?'

Was this true? He'd never mentioned his uncle. Maybe now he could enjoy a normal family life.

But then they turned on us, starting with the Italian paparazzo Papa had rescued me from.

‘Paolo, a well-known Italian actress is claiming that
you fathered her son seventeen years ago. Is this true?'

‘What do you think about his signing with your club?'

‘Lucy, how do you feel about having a step-brother?'

The photographers closed in for shots of our bewildered faces.

We were all shocked at these allegations, especially my parents. Nanna and Grandpa couldn't take it any longer and managed to take shelter inside the shop with Gigi.

Papa's fury couldn't be contained. Without hesitation he grabbed the troublesome Italian photographer and pushed him away. He snatched his camera and threw it to the ground, where it smashed into pieces. A fight nearly ensued when the photographer was assisted to his feet by his peers. He stood facing Papa, yelling at him. But instead of taking a swing, he was more concerned about his camera, screaming with fury and frantically trying to salvage his precious weapon.

Papa roared at all of them in the kind of Italian I can't translate for others' ears. We were horrified to see him lose it, but I wasn't entirely surprised. After all my family had gone through recently, the media had intruded once too often.

Sirens dominated the night air as flashing blue lights zeroed in on the shop's doorstep.

 

Truth and lies … what should I believe? The famous life wasn't what it seemed and now we faced yet another
drama. I doubt I'll ever enjoy a normal family life. Just when I thought my life was on track, there was this!

And then a strange thing happened … it was as though everyone around me froze on the spot. I stepped out of the crazy scene and was back where I belonged on the football pitch, standing alongside my hero Zizou as we watched my penalty kick hit the back of the net. That sound was so sweet.

La dolce vita!

Liz asked members of Australia's national women's football team, the Matildas, about football, and striving for
your
goals. Here's a peek at what they had to say …

Cheryl Salisbury, captain

Football has been part of my life for 27 out of 34 years. I don't remember a life without football in it. It's my world, nothing else matters when I'm out there.

Each World Cup I have competed in has got better and better in terms of the standard of the football, the event in itself and the number of spectators coming to watch us play. The one in 2007 was even more special for me, as it was most likely my last and we achieved our best ever record at a World Cup.

Sometimes it's a tough dream, but in the end I wouldn't change the way my life has panned out. I've travelled the world many times over, played in about 20 different countries and done it all playing a game I love.

Dianne Alagich, defender

I've been playing soccer since I was five years old. I've had many injuries over the years, but I've still managed to play in two Olympics, Sydney and Athens, and three World Cups. I also played professionally in the USA for three years.

My family were heavily involved in football and I had
four brothers who also played, so it was a very natural thing for me. I was kicking a ball around as soon as I could walk and football was the only thing I ever wanted to do.

I reached my goals by loving the game and always having fun. I've always trained hard and always had belief in myself. I think the support of my family had a massive role in my success.

The football field is one of the very few places where I don't have a care in the world and it challenges me physically, mentally and emotionally. I love it. Even now that I have to work full time, I enjoy the healthy lifestyle that sports give me and the lifelong friendships I've made.

Melissa Barbieri, goalkeeper

I started playing in an all-boys team when I was eight and nine, but was banned after the club thought I would get hurt with the boys. I was upset, but I was sidetracked by other sports.

I started playing again in an all-girls team at fourteen. Secretly, my mum was pushing me and telling me that girls could do whatever they wanted; it was my right to be just as good as the boys.

When I was watching the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony I saw a couple of girls that I played against at national level and thought to myself, ‘Why aren't I there?' So I made it my goal to play at an Olympic Games.
I trained every day, but unfortunately I had an injury that just wouldn't go away. The doctors told me I would have to quit the game I loved. I didn't like the sound of that and decided that I'd just stop running around, and so I became a goalkeeper. My dream came true in 2004, when I made the Athens Olympic team.

I always remember a quote I once heard: ‘Never let success go to your head, or failure go to your heart!'

Kim Carroll, defender

After impatiently watching my older brother play football for years, I was down at the club signing up as soon as I was old enough to play. Throughout my junior years I was usually the only girl in predominantly boys' teams and competitions. Playing with boys never bothered me, and I was fortunate enough to play with an accepting group of guys that were never fazed that I was a girl.

I was offered a scholarship in Brisbane, and moving away from home at the age of only fifteen was very daunting. I had to sacrifice my family and friends to achieve my goal of playing for the QAS and Australia. But when you get to represent your country all the sacrifices seem minor. It's an indescribable feeling.

Although many may think of football as a men's game, there are many girls all over the world playing, with participation levels still increasing.

I love football. It's all about the love and the thrill I get
from playing, and the challenges and experiences make it all worthwhile.

Lauren Colthorpe, midfielder

I started playing soccer during lunchtimes at school with the boys. With around 60 kids fighting for one ball in a tight area, once you finally got it, you had to make it worth it! I would practise with my brothers and neighbours just about every afternoon. I couldn't get enough! Having an older brother who loved to compete with me meant soccer wasn't only fun – sometimes it seemed like a matter of life and death!

Ever since I joined my first club I wanted to play for the Matildas. I was never good with short-term goals. I only had one, and that was to play for Australia. When I play football I still feel the same as I always have: it's enjoyment with no guilt, where you can test yourself. Now being an adult, it's nice that for 90 minutes your only care is to help get the ball in the goal. I enjoy the football life and have met the most amazing people, who I would never have met otherwise.

Heather Garriock, midfielder

Football is my life, but I don't let it rule my life. Family and friends are important to me, so I invest a lot of my time into them. I love to have a laugh and not take things too seriously – but having challenges is what makes me tick.

My dad is football mad, so playing football was second nature to him as well introducing it to me. I was always a tomboy growing up. I realised around the age of ten that playing football was my passion and to represent my country would be a dream come true.

Football makes me feel free of everything else going on in the world. It gives me an adrenalin rush that I can't get from anything else I do. I wouldn't trade the football life for anything in the world.

Kate Gill, striker

My football journey began when I was five years old, thanks to an energetic and friendly neighbourhood of boys. Countless hours of football were played on the local primary school oval. I dreamt of becoming a professional footballer since the age of five.

The main ingredients an individual needs to reach their goals are desire, strength, determination and passion. If you don't love what you are doing, why do it at all? The inspiration behind my passion for football was my grand father, who was a patriotic Everton supporter. When I'm playing football the feeling is indescribable. Nothing fazes me and it is the one true time that I love every moment.

The life that football provides is fantastic; it has allowed me to visit all sorts of wonderful places. It also allows me to pursue an academic carrier outside of football, allowing
me to maintain a balanced life, although this doesn't come without a great deal of sacrifice and perseverance.

Sally Shipard, midfielder

I first started playing football at the age of five. My biggest influence was having three brothers; we all played plenty of different sports.

I decided when I was about twelve that I wanted to be a Matilda. I remember watching them play at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. I decided then that I would focus on being a Matilda. Little did I know that four years later I would make my debut.

Football makes me feel like … I play a game for a living! Of course I study and work on the side, but every day I get to wake up and think, ‘I'm an athlete and I represent my country.'

Travelling the world with your best mates – doesn't get much better than that. Obviously there are the ups and downs – having to balance uni or school can be difficult, but it's all worth it.

Thea Slatyer, defender

I began playing football in kindergarten. My mum enrolled me in the school football team with the boys, as the only girl in the league. I used to think I was the only girl ever to play!

Football hit a nerve with me naturally, I fell in love
with it instantly. I looked up to older Matildas players, such as Julie Murray and Sunni Hughes, for encouragement and inspiration – they were what I wanted to be. But I also looked up to other athletes for their tenacity and courage – I aspired to their fearlessness.

Making the national team was never something I questioned; it was just a matter of when. Of course, none of it could have happened without the support of my parents. But I think once I got the idea in my head, there was no stopping me. Either someone's belief in you encourages you, or their disbelief in you motivates you to want to prove them wrong. You've gotta have heart and you've got to sacrifice.