Demi Koulizakis has returned to the W-League after a four year stint over in the United States, where she studied and played with Texas Tech.
The 23-year-old made her way back home during the heavy 2020 June lockdowns across Australia and only just in the nick of time, before getting signed in November to Canberra United.
“I think I was on one of the last government funded flights for a while, I had to spend 14 days in Brisbane. It was really strange for me because I had never been to Brisbane besides for other W-League events when I was younger so I was stuck there in a hotel for 14 days which was fun, very challenging but fun,” she told Neos Kosmos.
The Sydneysider is glad to be closer to her family, who she sees as her biggest supporters and also her most honest critics.
“I’m very family orientated…My parents’ opinions matter so when they tell me I haven’t done well, I take that to heart. Even though I take it to heart it makes me want to try harder and do the best I can. I don’t feel like I’m working for myself, I feel like I’m working for them and making them proud as well,” Koulizakis said.
Koulizakis talks finding her competitive streak and her development as a person and player over in America.
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What drew you to football?
Soccer runs in my family. My dad played, both my brothers played as well. My mum actually wanted me to play netball but I was never for that. I just wanted to follow in my brothers’ footsteps and it was very competitive between the three of us.
In the end I really wanted to be better than both of my brothers and they ended up quitting and I kept pursuing soccer and eventually I was better than them.
It’s game day, what do you do to get in the zone before the match?
I’ve got a few superstitions that I have. Before every game day I have a certain song I listen to, it’s a family song that pumps me up all the time. I always have to have a shower before the game to wake me up and then get to the field, get in the zone and listen to my own music.
Top 3 training songs?
It changes all the time. I go through different phases of different songs. There’s this artist I always listen to, his name is Sonny Sodera, I basically listen to all of his top songs.
What do you find most challenging about the game?
Every game is different because every opponent gives something different. At the start you’re figuring the opponent’s weaknesses and trying to overcome them.
What has been a highlight in your sporting career thus far?
That’s a hard one! Probably going over to the States and going to university and playing soccer over there. I think that was a big chunk of my life. I went there when I was 18 years old and I only got back last year so I think I grew a lot as a person and as a soccer player.
Those four years were such a big highlight of my soccer career and life in general.
How has football impacted your life?
Honestly, football has pretty much been my life for 19, 20 years. It’s my outlet. I love playing football, I play because I love it. Obviously for women, you don’t really play for the money. It’s been a big part of my life, I’ve made most of my friends through football and my parents and family love soccer so it’s been my life ever since I could remember.
What is something you learned about yourself through playing the game?
I’ve learnt many things. The first thing I’ve probably learnt would be that it’s just so different on the field than off the field. It brought out my competitive side, definitely. I think it’s good to be competitive on and off the field.
I can take the things I’ve learnt from soccer into my normal life, like being a leader. It’s made me more passionate in a way and it’s taught me to be passionate with other things like work and anything I want to do, I want to do my best and just come out on top with everything.
What do you hope to achieve in the next year?
I just want to keep going and play soccer overseas if COVID dies down a bit hopefully. Just improving as a player and making the finals this year for the W-League. That’s a big goal of mine.
What’s something someone might be surprised to learn about you?
I like to play computer games! We have a little crew on our team that liked to play Call of Duty, so there’s a few of us.
Favourite way to unwind after a game?
Probably just spending time with my family and talking to my brother. He just distracts me and we talk about different things which is nice. I think family is a big thing for me. When I’m playing soccer I always look to see if my parents are there, they’re my tribe.
What are you most looking forward to in 2021?
Just to grow as a person. I feel like I’ve already grown so much within the past six months so I think growing both on and of the field and becoming successful in everything I do. There’s been a lot of changes.
I’ve had to change a lot of things and have to had been on my toes a lot these past few months and now I’m able to adapt to everything that has happened. It’s also driven me to try harder and be more organised.
What is something you want to be remembered for?
It’s not soccer related, but personally, I want to be remembered as a nice, loving person that is a good role model. I want to be a role model for all of the younger kids out there, showing them that if you try your best and put in 100 percent in everything that you do, then you’ll be successful. Never give up.
What do you think is the biggest misconception of women in sport?
Probably that men are better at everything. I feel like me get overlooked just because we’re women. I think we’re just as good as them, or even better. We play with our heart and we play because we love it, clearly we don’t get the money we deserve.
