A new-look Calder United has its sights set on reaching the top of the mountain once again in 2023.
Calder started the year on a winning note, claiming the 2023 Community Shield in a close 3-2 clash with FC Bulleen Lions.
Helen Winterburn and Nathan Maiorana have been appointed as Head Coached of Calder for the upcoming season with Mark Torcaso moving into a Head of Football position, following his appointment as Head Coach at Western United's women's side.
Winterburn joined Torcaso as an assistant coach at Western United and was named the 2022 NPLW Coach of the Year for her efforts in taking FV Emerging to the finals for the first time.
Maiorana worked as the senior assistant for Calder last season and has proven he has all the qualities both on and off the pitch to step up and continue building success for the senior team.
Winterburn said her and Nathan have “big shoes to fill” but have worked well so far as a team.
“Balancing my work with Western and Calder has been a challenge, but I am obviously coaching with Nathan, and he had been there pretty consistently and we are in constant communication with what is going on,” she explained.
“He has been good I am happy with how everything is going so far.”
Calder started their pre-season in mid-January Winterburn said there has been plenty of positive signs.
“In terms of how the pre-season has been going with the group that we do have, I am confident they will be able to perform and do well for the first part of the season,” she said.
“It will be quite a different Calder compared to the previous season as we are bringing different personnel, I am looking forward to the season starting.
“Coming into the club and seeing the culture they have built evident; they have got that winning mentality as a club as you would being the most dominant Club in Victoria for the past five years.
“We want to be winning games and be competitive, but we want to be making sure all of the players in the program are improving and are getting better if they want to push for those A-League contracts at Western United or somewhere else.
“And they are still in an environment where they are going to be challenged and improve as footballers if you can get that right then winning comes part of it.”
Calder has recruited well in the off-season to cover their A-League stars missing the start of the season.
The club has bolstered their midfield stocks with American Alexis Mitchell arriving from Launceston United and Japan via player Kiewa Hieda who dominated the VPLW last season with the Preston Lions.
Larissa Walsh will certainly make an impact at Calder this season, she won the Golden Boot and was awarded the Player of the Year playing for Perth Red Star last season in the NPLW in Perth.
“After spending the past years playing in WA, Larissa joins us ready for a new challenge,” Winterburn said.
“She is a top attacking player who is looking to score some goals and challenge herself with us in the NPLW Victoria.”
Maia Heysen has joined the Club from Alamein and Natalie Picak (South Melbourne) will add to the sides' goalkeeping ranks.
FV Emerging trio Sienna Cappola, Lucy Richards, and Isabella Sewards have followed their coach to Calder and could be set for minutes early in the season.
Winterburn believed there was a host of players who were capable of stepping up early in the season, in the absence of their Western United players.
“There is a bigger crossover with the “A-League W and the NPLW, but it just gives more of an opportunity to those younger players to actually get some senior minutes at the start of the season and really show why they should be in the squad,” she said.
“I expect the international players to be very strong, that’s why you bring them in, to add that strength and depth to the team.
“Players that were in the Calder squad that came on as substitutes last year like Ava Grover, Montanna Mathews and Ellie Taleski it is up to them to take on more of a leadership role and drive the standards with more playing time.
“Lucy and Bella had a very successful season will FV Emerging, so I am really excited to see them in the environment with these players and pushing the group to have a successful season, I think they will have an impact early on.”
Despite dominating the league in recent seasons, Winterburn said Calder won’t underestimate anyone with three new Clubs entering the league and a high turnover of senior coaches.
“It is really important in the first few rounds you do get off to a good start, but definitely still want to be very competitive and be pushing for winning the league and making finals,” she said.
“It is quite interesting this year because there is a lot of change in coaching personnel as well, I think it is going to be interesting because you are going to come up against similar players but the coaching staff is going to be different so I am not 100% sure what to expect.
“We know that if we play the way we want to play and what we are looking for, we should be able to adapt to whatever opposition we come up against.”
OPENING FIXTURES
Round 1: Box Hill v Calder United
Round 2: Calder United v Alamein
Round 3: Preston Lions v Calder United
For Full Fixture Information, Visit Gameday