Aussie scores big with maths PHD future
|Image: Anita Milas
“In my team, we make sure everybody gets a try.”
26-year-old Georgina Liversidge from Newcastle, Australia first heard about the Homeless World Cup through weekly street soccer programmes. She was nominated by her local coach, and was selected by the national coach to represent her country at the Homeless World Cup.
Georgina has been playing football from a young age, and she joined The Big Issue Australia’s street soccer programme two years ago after spending some time at a mental health facility, after a battle with depression.
When she returns home from the Homeless World Cup, Georgina will start her PhD in mathematics at University of Auckland, after completing her honours year at Newcastle University. It demonstrates her incredible determination to achieve her goals.
|Image: Anita Milas
Since arriving in Oslo, Georgina has been all smiles, a feature of the pictures captured by photographers of her with the Australian team during the opening parade and all throughout their games.
When talking about the Homeless World Cup, Georgina said: “I’m loving the tournament. I’ve been having so much fun, and the fair play spirit that teams have shown to us has been really good.
“In my team, we make sure everybody gets a try, regardless of ability. Everybody’s scored a goal, even our goalie! It’s a competition, but it’s still just fun. We’re just all about enjoying ourselves.”
Words: Josh Brimble
Images: Anita Milas