Ross Kendall
Krista Ruehe has been working hard to raise funds and hone her skills so she can travel to America to represent Australia in the U/19 national futsal team.
The former Mullumbimby High student competed for the Far North NSW youth women’s team in the national futsal championships held in South Windsor in January.
‘Unfortunately our team didn’t make the finals this time; however, it was a great experience. I can’t say I’ve played in such extreme heat (46 degrees) before, but it was a good test,’ she said.
The team was made up of younger girls playing together for one of their first times and the team had trouble gelling together.
‘It wasn’t the same team as last year. It was all a bit different,’ she said.
‘Four players got heat stroke’.
Krista started out trying to raise $6,600 to get to America for the self-funded national team tour that starts in June this year.
After some successful fundraising events before Christmas she has been able to drop her crowdfunding target to $4,000. She has received pledges totalling $600 on the www.gofundme platform, so far.
Despite being keen to get together with the national squad Krista won’t get a chance to train with them until they all get to America.
Once there they will play a game every day as they build up the American national futsal championships in July.
Krista started playing the full-field 11-girl-a-side version of football, and made representative teams when she was younger. She decided to have a break from the sport while she concentrated on high school, but decide to go in one last competition before she left school last year.
Her performances for the state team earned her a position in the national squad.
To donate see: www. gofundme.com/kristausa.
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