Having played in three World Cup qualifiers -1991, 95 and 99 – Sonia Gegenhuber received surely her highest football honour – chosen as captain of the Matildas in 1997.
From being born and raised in country South Australia to captaining the Matildas is quite a football journey, but not quite as surprising once Sonia’s Gegenhuber’s single-minded ambition and drive are considered.
From the age of 10, she was playing in the local Mannum boys’ league, then sought permission from the SA Education Department to play in the High Schools Under-15 Boys’ Cup competition.
It might not have been a career highlight, but one she will surely remember with fondness – winning the Under-16 Mannum Boys’ Football Team’s Best and Fairest trophy.
Her athleticism, balance and skills with the ball at her feet were fast becoming obvious. She was also emerging as a strong defender and good on-field communicator.
Shifting to the city, she played for Adelaide College, Brahma Lodge and Modbury Vista, providing the platform for State junior and senior team selections, ultimately promoted to captaincy of SA in 1991.
But it was two years earlier, in 1989, when her moment, that moment of pure joy, finally arrived for Sonia Gegenhuber. Having been named as SA’s most outstanding player at the Australian championships, her name was called for selection to the Matildas.
She was Cap No. 63.
Not surprisingly, in that same year, she was awarded the District Council of Mannum, Australia Day Citizen award, Young Citizen of the Year.
Becoming a Matilda was an obvious highlight but there had been many achievements in other sports as well – netball, tennis, cross country, cycling, and athletics – plus being honoured with the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Over the next decade, she would proudly pull on the green and gold strip 75 times, including 60 full internationals.
Meanwhile, off the field, she was appointed as the first SAWSA Development Officer, working in SA schools to introduce the game and its skills to girls. Her work created a stunning transformation – from virtually no girls playing to having a junior girls’ league operating within 12-18 months.
She was a natural leader and having played in all three World Cup qualifiers in 1991, 95 and 99, including the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, Sonia Gegenhuber received surely her highest football honour – chosen as captain of the Matildas.
She led the team on 17 occasions through the late 1990s.
Meanwhile she had moved to Queensland to play and coach – and unsurprisingly was named in the Football Federation Australia’s Team of the Decade for 1990-1990.
She was named to the Football Federation Australia Hall of Fame in 2018.
