Feilding Footballer Scoring Across the Ditch
Passion, determination and a positive attitude has seen Feilding High School student, Saskia Symonds, acing Football and achieving her goals in more ways than one. Supported by Manawatū District Council’s Representative Fund, Saskia travelled to Melbourne in October 2025 to compete in the Ballarat Football Cup. Last week, Saskia presented to Council on her experience and the lifelong memories made across the ditch.
Saskia Symonds, at only 14 years old, has been making massive strides in her football journey. After a thorough training programme in Hamilton, Saskia was selected to join an U15 team of NZ girls to compete in the Ballarat Football Cup. The Ballarat Cup is Australia’s largest football tournament and was an experience Saskia defined as both “challenging and inspiring”. Saskia made lifelong memories, her highlights include a tour of Melbourne’s Australian Football League facility, receiving professional coaching and making new friends from New Zealand and Australia. The team left Melbourne with their heads held high, coming an impressive third place out of 96 teams – no easy feat, but a result they were incredibly proud of.
The Ballarat Football Cup has left Saskia feeling more passionate about football than ever. The trip has helped shape her vision of what her future in football could look like. Inspired by football players such as Sam Kerr, Saskia is pushing herself to achieve her absolute best. She is busy playing for Feilding High School’s 1st XI team, Palmerston North United’s First Reserve team, and she hopes to coach younger players in the future.
Saskia shared her gratitude for Council’s support, as her fundraising efforts and MDC’s Representative Fund made the experience possible. MDC is proud to have supported Saskia through the Representative Fund, helping her to achieve her goals and give her football journey everything she’s got.
The Representative Fund is part of Manawatū District Council’s community toolkit, supporting individuals or teams who represent the Manawatū District nationally or internationally. Minimising financial barriers, the fund supports residents who take part in cultural, recreational, and learning opportunities. To learn more about the Representative Fund, please visit MDC’s website: Representative Fund - Closed for 2025/26 Applications | Manawatū District Council