Source: Radio New Zealand
Pia Vlok scored a triple on the weekend. PHOTOSPORT
Pia Vlok was sitting in the changing rooms still on a high after becoming the first Phoenix women’s player to score an A-League hat-trick on Sunday, when she received a phone call from the Football Ferns coach.
National women’s coach Michael Mayne told Vlok she was getting her first Football Ferns call-up for this month’s World Cup qualifying leg in Solomon Islands.
The 17-year-old high school student had just helped the Phoenix women crush the Jets 5-1 in Newcastle, recording their biggest ever road win.
“After the game in the changing room, Mayne called Bev [Phoenix coach] and then she gave me the phone …it was Mayne and he was like ‘you can come to qualifiers’, it was awesome,” Vlok said.
“So surreal, after the hat-trick I was on such a high and then to get the call-up it was like the best week ever.”
The exciting forward said she had received tonnes of messages since.
“It’s crazy all the people who reach out, my phone’s been going off but it’s so nice and all my old friends.”
It’s fair to say her first season of A-league football has surpassed all her expectations.
“I was kind of just hoping to get some minutes, play some football, get in the squad was a goal …to start games and score goals, I wouldn’t have thought that [this] would happen.”
Vlok said her national call-up has come far sooner than she dared dream.
“I didn’t think it would happen so fast. A goal for me for a couple of years has been the World Cup next year but I didn’t see [this coming].”
Since Vlok got her Phoenix debut she’s looked threatening in front of goal and said on Sunday everything felt open.
“I didn’t even feel like there was a goalkeeper in there you know but I think it’s taken a bit to get there, at the start of the season maybe I was a bit more shy to shoot.”
Vlok, who grew up in Auckland, primarily played for boys’ teams in 2025 but also made some appearances for Auckland United’s women’s team before joining the Phoenix.
Phoenix women’s coach Bev Priestman. Barry Guy RNZ
The power of Vlok’s shots has been impressive and the teenager said playing a lot of football with and against boys had helped her be physically ready for the league.
“It’s just so good for development, especially when I was really young …and having an older brother, I’m always trying to kick the ball harder, be better, stronger, so I think it just comes from that.
“Then going from Auckland United and National League to A-League I found it pretty smooth but definitely a step up, a lot a faster, more physical.”
Having more time to dedicate to training since joining the Phoenix had also made a big difference.
“I’ve got so much stronger, even just in pre-season the improvement’s been crazy.”
Vlok started her first day of the school year on Tuesday after the team got back from Australia.
She is part of the first intake of students at the New Zealand Performance Academy Aotearoa (NZPAA) which opened as a charter school for athletes in Upper Hutt this year.
Vlok was greeted with a lot of ‘that’s so sick’ from her new classmates.
On days when she is training with the Phoenix she heads to school early in the afternoon, otherwise she does a regular school day.
“They are super flexible … on training days I probably do about three hours and then try and catch up after school.”
A win against Perth in Wellington tomorrow would see the Phoenix women go to the top of the A-league table.
“Hopefully I can score again in front of the home fans because they’re great …so exciting being up there and we’ve got so much support now.”
Phoenix coach Bev Priestman said the 17-year-old had not exceeded her expectations.
“I think there’s more to her than probably what people have seen …the minute she got on the pitch with great footballers she was not out of place and she trains like an animal …she’s a competitor,” Priestman said.
Pia Vlok Marty Melville
Priestman said expectations around the teenager would be high now.
“It’s early doors right, people are going to start scouting her now and ask different questions of her game and that’s the journey of a young player is to evolve and keep growing and stay humble and I’ve seen signs of that for sure.”
Does Priestman anticipate overseas clubs might start coming for Vlok?
“Yeah and I think we’ve got to be careful with that right, I think it has to be at the right time, we have Pia on a three-year deal, it’s very early in her career …you’re always advising minutes is the number one thing, young players want to play.
“Getting the right test at the right time can make a career, I’ve had young players in the past go to PSG (Paris Saint-Germain FC) and sit on a bench for an entire season, it’s cost them an Olympic Games. That’s the balance it’s developing players at the right time, I think Pia loves this environment.
“Players eventually go on and write a story of their own career but I think we have a really good environment to foster young talent.”
Priestman said Vlok was unique in that she had both technical ability as well as physical athleticism.
Priestman’s resume includes coaching in the English professional league, assistant coach of the England women’s national team, and head coach of Canada.
She was also an early mentor for Mayne when working for New Zealand Football more than a decade ago and naturally the Football Ferns coach sounded her out about Vlok.
“We have the discussions before selections and talk …that conversation [about Vlok] has been ongoing pretty early to be honest. It was nice …after the hattrick, I text Mayne and we arranged the call there and he got to tell her, which is always nice to see.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
