I'm very excited to develop younger players and pass on what I can
- Ellie La Monte
With a French surname, New Zealand birthplace, Chinese tattoo and a past playing with some Australian greats, Ellie La Monte certainly brings an international feel to Launceston United.
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The North's Women's Super League club unveiled their new signing on Tuesday along with the news that she will also coach the Northern Championship Women's team.
Making her first visit to Birch Avenue, and indeed Tasmania, La Monte was impressed with what she saw.
"It's a great opportunity, especially for women's football, to have facilities like this," she said.
"I was really impressed with the professionalism of the club. Any move for a player is massive so having the club so supportive and forthcoming really helps and makes it easier to make a good, fresh start."
Born in Napier, La Monte moved to Western Australia as a child and played with Matildas Sam Kerr and Caitlin Foord at W-League side Perth Glory where she debuted at just 16 years of age, before a back injury forced her out of the game for a while.
Finally over a succession of injuries, the 22-year-old attacker said she learned plenty from such international stars and shapes as a crucial piece of Frank Compton and Lynden Prince's side in 2022.
The club also confirmed that, in addition to her playing role up front with the WSL team, La Monte will coach the Northern Championship Women's team for 2022.
In a post on Facebook the club said: "Our young female players who are coming through the club's development pathway in the NCW team will benefit from Ellie's knowledge and experience, previously playing in the A-League Women's competition as a teenager for Perth Glory and more recently for NPLW club Murdoch University Melville Football Club in Western Australia."
La Monte, who will return to Tasmania to begin pre-season training early next year, was delighted to fill dual roles.
"The NCW side is a really exciting opportunity," she added.
"I have done a bit of coaching in the past but this is probably my biggest job and I'm very excited to develop younger players and pass on what I can."
With reigning WSL and club player of the year Jess Robinson having moved to the mainland, La Monte will be pivotal to United's chances of improving on their second place in last season's competition.
And the new signing wasted little time setting the bar high.
"We're definitely aiming for top spot this year," she added.
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
