It’s business as usual for Sydney Cummings and her Western United teammates in the lead up to the A-League Women’s grand final.
In what has been an incredible season so far, the United girls are just now one win away from the fairy tale of a championship in their first season.
For Cummings, it’s a pretty exciting place to be in ahead of Sunday’s grand final.
“It’s everything that the team is fighting for,” she said.
“You want to be rewarded for the sacrifices that you have made as a team and as individuals.
“We were all really excited and there was a bit relief as soon as the whistle blew
“We are stoked to achieve what we set out to do. It’s nice to be there.”
Cummings, one of four internationals at United this season, said from hearing about the stories of the core group of players, who have played together previously, she said they’re not shocked how far they’ve come from.
She said many had played against talented A-League players in the National Premier League previously and were more than capable of holding their own.
For Cummings, the opportunity to come to Australia was one that was too good to refuse. She said it was her first time having the chance and didn’t hesitate.
“I thought it was a great opportunity,” she said.
“Australia had been a league before COVID that players would flip flop from the NWSL [National Women’s Soccer League] and the A-League.
“It was a reputable league back home. I was excited for the opportunity to come and play and the idea of a new team and the expansion really excited me.
“It’s one of the best leagues and anyone can beat anyone.”
Cummings said playing for a new team meant they could help form things and build from the beginning.
She said while nothing surprised her about the league, having done her research, but she was pleasantly surprised about how United went about things.
“People want to make things work,” she said. “You can have an opinion or problem even when things are going well and the likes of Mark [Torcaso] Amanda [Stella], Chris [Pehlivanis] and Mal [Impiombato] are listening to you.
“They’re treating us like people which can get lost in the transition. At the end of the day we are still people.”
Cummings said the other thing that stood about United was the culture that had been set up. She said that it was intimidating coming into the club at first.
“This group of girls is like a family,” she said “The way they accepted me with open arms, not only the internationals but the girls from interstate…. We were accepted from the start.
“It’s a privilege to be part of.”
Cummings said for the group they had no choice to continue to take things as normal with the majority of the group having never played in an A-League grand final.
She said they were just preparing for another game.
“There is a good vibe there,” she said. “It’s a privilege to still be training and playing. We’ve raised the intensity at price, the vice is still the same.”
