Ben Gilby returns with another series of in-depth articles featuring our Ninja A-League players, starting with in-form striker, Rola Badawiya.
Perth Glory attacker Rola Badawiya has made a big impression with her new team, scoring two goals in as many matches to start the A-League Women season, one in which she believes can see the side “achieve something special.”
The campaign opened with a landmark 3-1 win at Western Sydney Wanderers, Glory’s first away victory since December 2023 and came after kick-off at Wanderers Football Park was delayed by more than an hour due to an electrical storm.
“Getting that first away result was huge for our confidence and set the tone for what we want to build this season,” reflected Badawiya.
“While waiting for the lightning to stop, we entertained ourselves by playing hangman and listening to music, which definitely helped calm the nerves, as well as conserving energy.
“However, the moment we stepped on the pitch, the mentality switched.
“What earned us that win was playing for each other and refusing to back down.
“From the first whistle we were on the front foot, stuck to our strengths and showed we weren’t going down without a fight.
“Securing that first win felt like just the start of something special.”
The 27-year-old brings with her a wealth of experience across four countries, plus an ALW record that now stands at 11 goals in 35 games for Sydney FC, Central Coast Mariners and now Perth Glory.
“I’ve been playing football for nearly 20 years,” she said, “older than some of my teammates now, which gives me a good laugh!
“I played Division One College football in the U.S., starting at California State University, Long Beach before transferring to California Baptist University.
“After completing my degree, I joined AS Roma in Italy, but my season was cut short due to COVID.
“I then moved to Australia, played NPL NSW with Sydney University, which led to signing with Sydney FC, where we won both the Premiership and Championship.
“From there, I joined Central Coast Mariners in their inaugural A-League Women’s season, then spent a season in Portugal with SC Braga, qualifying for the European Champions League.
“Last but not least, I made the move to Perth Glory, and the journey keeps getting better!”
“Throughout my journey, I have been lucky enough to meet incredible people in so many different countries.
“Each place and experience has shaped me in its own way and helped me grow beyond just being a footballer.
“The challenges and tough moments overseas, the lows and negativity along the way, have taught me how strong and resilient I really am.
“I have had the privilege of playing alongside some of the best players in the world and learning from them has been such a gift.
“Those experiences have pushed me, humbled me, and made me the person and player I am today.
“My time at Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners couldn’t have been more different.
“At Sydney, we had so many of the league’s top players and it showed every day.
“The level at training was incredibly high, and we carried that dominance into matches.
“At Central Coast, we were the underdogs in our first ever season as a brand-new squad.
“On paper, we weren’t the strongest, and people underestimated us, but we embraced that mentality and used it to fuel us every step of the way, falling one goal short to the eventual champions.
“I came to Perth Glory primarily because of the staff.
“Their belief in me was genuine and constant from the start.
“As an athlete, all you ever really want is people who trust in your ability and give you the freedom to play your game and that’s exactly what I felt here.
“That belief is what drew me in and what motivates me every day to give everything back to the club.”
As well as her experience from playing and scoring goals around the world, the striker believes her vocal positivity is another of her major strengths.
“I thrive on lifting the players around me,” she said.
“I am a very forward, go-to-goal thinker and I love making chances for my team, whether that’s taking shots, scoring, or setting up teammates.
“I pride myself on being able to use both feet comfortably, allowing me to stay unpredictable and difficult to read.”
Badawiya was one of only a handful of new faces to come into the Perth Glory squad this season, something which may have made it more of a challenge to settle in and gel, but she believes the intensity of time together ensured that was not the case.
“Pre-season was full of gym work, building strength, running, and getting comfortable with new systems and teammates,” she said.
“Having never played with anyone in this squad before, those five weeks were all about building connections on and off the pitch and creating trust quickly.
“Being based in Perth also meant we didn’t have the luxury of travelling to face other A-League teams in pre-season, so every session became even more important in preparing us for the season ahead.”
The American is part of an extremely dynamic and creative attacking group at Glory, one which has the potential to drive the club to Finals football for the first time since 2018/19 and that fact is not lost on her.
“Our midfielders and forwards are brave on the ball, dynamic in movement and always looking to play forward,” she said.
“What I love most is how unselfish and connected we are.
“Everyone wants to create, combine, and make each other look good.
“It’s exciting playing alongside teammates who bring different qualities, but share the same ambition.”
Badawiya comes across as a hugely positive person, both on and off the pitch and that positivity extends to what she believes is possible for both herself and the wider team this season.
“Personally, my goals are simple; continue to grow as a player, score and assist as many goals that I can and be someone my teammates can rely on both on and off the pitch,” she said.
“I want to stay consistent, work hard every day and make a positive impact in big moments.
“As a team, our goal is to keep building, fix our away record from last year and compete every single week.
“We want to make Finals footy, create a strong identity, stay united and put ourselves in the best position to succeed.
“If we keep believing in each other, I know we can achieve something special this season.”
Glory Women return to action on Saturday with a trip to Leichhardt Oval to take on Sydney FC – kick-off is at 11:45am WST and you can catch all the action live and free on 10.com.au
#ONEGlory
ALW In Focus: Rola Badawiya
