Football Victoria congratulates Maria Berry AM on being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the King's Birthday Honours List.
A former Chair of Football Victoria’s Women’s Standing Committee, Berry was awarded a Member (AM) in the general division for significant service to football, to women in sport, and business.
Berry said she was “so appreciative and delighted” to have received the honour.
“It was fantastic to get the personal recognition for what everyone can agree has been a long and interesting contribution to football in Victoria as a player, coach and administrator,” she said.
“But the award is about as much recognition for our sport as anything else.
You’ve got to use these things to say the good things about our sport and how it gives opportunities for women in a holistic way to play, lead, and be recognised.
“I am just really happy about it and grateful to whoever it was who nominated me, and I am pleased we can enhance the profile of our game in this important year.”
Berry has been involved in football for over 40 years from the grassroots to the national and international level.
Across Berry’s 40-year tenure, she has held a wide array of roles in women’s football, including as Director of the former Australian Women’s Soccer Association, Victorian Soccer Federation and Victorian Women’s Soccer Association and most recently as Chair of Football Victoria’s Women’s Standing Committee.
Berry has also been a Tour Leader for the Matildas and Young Matildas in the early 2000s. At the local level, she has coached women’s and girls’ teams for over 20 years and is a Life Member at Melbourne University Soccer Club, Victoria’s largest senior club for women.
“I also worked for FV as the Government Relations Manager for five years; I even worked as the ground announcer for the Melbourne Victory women’s team for three seasons," Berry said.
“What’s different for me is I haven’t just been in one box, I have been able to work at different levels and roles and use those different experiences to inform my other work for football.
“I have been able to see so many different sides of football so a part of my role is to join people up and help promote the game internally and externally.
“I had the privilege of working with the Matildas over several years including trips to Tonga and even North Korea, a very interesting place.
“I have also been responsible for providing the team liaison for overseas visiting teams such as France and Mexico. A personal favourite was when I was the team Liaison Manager for Norway in the Sydney 2000 Olympics which was a fabulous role.
“We (Norway) won the gold medal, they were a wonderful team and I learned so much from that experience on how to manage teams, players, and how a major international sports event works. And I got to meet the Princess of Norway at the celebration dinner.”
Berry currently works in sport as the National Integrity Manager for the Australian Flying Disc Association (Ultimate Frisbee)
“In many ways Ultimate is the opposite of football. There is no money in the sport, it’s got way more seniors than juniors and uniquely it doesn’t have referees or umpires. The players manage themselves and it works! It is a really refreshing sport to be involved in,” Berry said.
Berry is also currently a Director of Women Onside, a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in advocacy, leadership and professional development for women in football across the country.
“I was the founding chair of Women Onside. Our first project was to work with Football Australia and FIFA on the restructuring of Australian football governance. Our work helped to establish the 40-40-20 principle in football governance and the establishment of the FA Women’s Council as the voice and vote for women in football," she explained.
Since then Women Onside has been highly active in many areas, including a leading role in supporting the Afghan women’s national team’s escape from Kabul and financial and community support for them on their arrival in Australia.
Current Women Onside Chair Kerry Harris said: “On the eve of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, to be held for the first time on home soil, the timing of this recognition is apt. Women’s football in Australia stands on the shoulders of trailblazers, including Maria, who toiled tirelessly to get the sport to where it is today.”
Berry can’t wait to enjoy the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup as a fan and continue to relish how far the women’s game has come.
“This will be my sixth Women’s World Cup and I know of one person only who has been to more than that and two others equal with me. We have a competition going” she joked.
“It is fantastic that we have this opportunity in Australia and hopefully we break all attendance records and make as much noise as possible. Let the games begin.”