One of Richmond’s brightest young footballers will head to the United States later this year to chase her sporting dream.
Former Waimea College student Abi Platt has signed a sports scholarship with Kansas-based Garden City Community College, where she will play for the Garden City Broncbusters. For Abi, it marks the realisation of a goal two years in the making.
To begin with, she did not know the opportunity even existed.
“To be honest, I never even knew it was an option until one of my former coaches told me about it. And then my brother went over to do the same thing at the end of 2024 and loved it. Ever since then, it has been a big goal of mine.”
Garden City lies five hours south of Kansas City and is a community college, a smaller graduate school where athletes spend two years honing their craft before progressing to a four-year university programme.
Abi says the ability of the current squad was a major selling point.year university. Abi says the ability of the current squad was a major selling point.
“Last season the team set a programme record for number of wins, and five players made the all division team. I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Abi has played football for 11 years, after her brothers first dragged her along to a session. Since then, the talented midfielder has become a crucial cog in the Suburbs Football system and has played in the women’s Southern League team for three years.
With the American academic year running differently, Abi will not head to Kansas until August, meaning she has one more season in her beloved Suburbs blue strip. Suburbs women’s coach David Capstick is grateful she will stay on for the coming months.
“Abi’s an experienced player within the team so we’re stoked to have her for the best part of the season. It’s great that she’ll be able to guide the next group of young players coming through.”
While football is at the heart of the scholarship, Abi says there are plenty of other things she is looking forward to.
“I can’t wait for the travelling, the school itself, new people, new places, and new competition. I’m excited for everything.”
