Matildas legend Garriock kicking goals off the field
HEATHER Garriock is used to making history, and yesterday she added another chapter to her remarkable story, becoming the first female CEO of Football Australia.
Though at present it is in an interim capacity, the widely respected Garriock would be in the running for the permanent role.
Garriock’s playing career saw her capped 130 times for the Matildas. She appeared in three World Cups in 2003, 2007 and 2011 and was a dual Olympian, representing Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics.
She was part of the Matilda teams that won the 2003 Oceania Women’s Football Championships and the 2010 Asian Cup.
Garriock won domestic titles in Australia, Denmark and Sweden, and also played in America. In 2003 she won the Julie Dolan Medal while playing for Queensland Sting in the old Women’s National Soccer League. She was also part of the Western Sydney Wanderers’ A-League Women’s team in the early part of their creation, working closely with then CEO Lyall Gorman to setup a women’s program for the powerhouse Club.
Post her playing career Garriock was involved in coaching at Sydney Uni in the NSW NPLW and Canberra United in the W-League. She has also worked in the media, providing expert commentary for Optus, Fox Sports and the ABC.
Garriock has extensive experience in the administrative side of sport, she was the CEO of Australian Taekwondo for a few years, driving the sport forward with her innovative thinking.
In 2021, she famously helped rescue seven female Afghanistani taekwondo Olympians from the hands of the Taliban. These women now live in Australia.
At the same time, Garriock took up a role as a Director on the FA Board, where she has overseen a number of significant achievements including the successful hosting of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the successful 2026 Women’s Asian Cup bid, the introduction of a National Second tier men’s competition and the signing of a $200M TV deal with Paramount for national teams.
A woman that knows how to get things done, Garriock played a huge role in officially capping the 1975 Matildas, who played in the first ever Women’s Asian Cup in Hong Kong. This team up until earlier this year went unrecognised for 50 years.
She was also responsible for a unique coaching setup that she created, where a ‘Team of Coaches’ will be part of the national team setup, gaining exposure and experience across the men’s and women’s programs. Melissa Barbieri, Emily Husband, Catherine Cannuli and Kat Smith will all be part of this program, ensuring the next generation of women coaches thrive on the international stage.
Away from football, Garriock successfully founded a sunscreen company called Game Face Pro, which sells sunscreen that is chemical free and uses organic and vegan ingredients, which provides protection from the sun while being comfortable to wear as well.
The 2021 FA Hall of Fame inductee, who is famous for scoring clutch goals for the Matildas, is now doing it off the field as well.
By JANAKAN SEEMAMPILLA