While a typical four-year-old might be learning to write their name, inventing imaginary friends and counting to 10, Amy Chessari was being introduced to the sport that would eventually shape her life.
At the time, she had no idea how far football would take her. In fact, she admits that despite her Italian background and her family’s passion for the game, it was not something she was immediately drawn to.
But slowly, almost imperceptibly, football became part of her life. And as Chessari’s love for the game grew, so too did her talent.
“When I started, there wasn’t any pressure, outside of just trying to do my best,” reflects Chessari.
“It was just something I loved to do. Then eventually, I climbed up the ranks, made some rep and teams when I was in my early teens, and then moved to the New South Wales Institute, and then the Wanderers.”
What began as a childhood introduction to football gradually became a pathway through the ranks of Australian sport.
Fast-forward to today, and Chessari is taking another major step in her football journey, having signed with Sydney FC. The move comes after a breakthrough 2025, which saw Chessari named Macquarie University’s Athlete of the Year.
The honour placed her alongside some of the country’s most accomplished athletes – a moment she admits she never expected.
Amy Chessari is taking another major step in her football journey, having signed with Sydney FC. Image: Robbie Szafranek, Digital Content Manager at Sydney FC .
“I was nominated, but there were so many other incredible athletes, and I was just happy to be there,” says Chessari.
“I actually was Athlete of the Year with Olivia Wunsch, and she’s amazing. She’s competed in the Commonwealth Games and won gold in the Olympics for Australia, so just to share the stage with her was incredible. And so, when I found out that I was named Macquarie University’s Athlete of the Year this year, it was such a shock, but really an honour.”
The award reflects the discipline it has taken Chessari to reach this point, a quality that extends well beyond the football field.
When she is not playing, Chessari is studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in economics and international business at Macquarie University. Like many female athletes, she is learning to navigate the demands of university alongside an elite sporting career, bringing the same determination to her studies as she does to football.
“Like a lot of female athletes, I have to juggle a lot of things.
“When I was coming through, I made my early debut in Year 12 when I was doing my HSC. I was trying to get into uni, and I was also working at the time, so it was tricky balancing all those things. I think that’s a challenge for most girls at the moment.”
But the demands of sport, study and work are only part of the equation. For Chessari, finding the motivation to keep moving forward has also meant seeing other women do it first.
When she is not playing, Chessari is studying a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in economics and international business at Macquarie University. Image: Amy Shidiak
Through much of her childhood, women’s sport was not as visible as it is today. But as the profile of the A-League Women’s and other women’s competitions has grown, women’s soccer is quickly becoming as attainable as men’s football.
Chessari knows the power of that visibility first-hand. One player, in particular, showed her that being one of the smaller players on the field did not mean she needed to match that size in ambition.
“I really loved Katrina Gorry and how she played, and she was always the – I’m obviously one of the smaller players, and she was one of the smallest as well, so it was just nice to see just her grit and just how she’s climbed the ranks over the years, and it was just really an inspiration.”
There is a familiar sentiment in sport: you cannot be what you cannot see.
And as she begins the next chapter of her career with Sydney FC, Chessari hopes she can become part of the new generation of Australian soccer stars.
“I definitely want to play for the Matildas. I think if you ask a lot of young girls, that would be the end goal. But I definitely wanted to also have an educational background and be confident in my studies in economics as well and business.”
Amy Chessari hopes she can become part of the new generation of Australian soccer stars. Image: Robbie Szafranek, Digital Content Manager at Sydney FC
And by showing young women that both paths are possible, Chessari wants to encourage girls to take that first step.
“I think now’s definitely the time to get into it. I think women’s football is growing. I think since the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia, you just saw how much investment there is, how many fans are so excited for it.”
“Macquarie’s helped me balance my sport commitments, and I’m incredibly lucky for that – but the only way to know is to just get started.”
While the path ahead may look very different from the one she first stepped onto, Chessari’s advice to her four-year-old self finds its way back to a simple message: a love of playing the game.
“I would say keep going,” reflects Chessari.
“Don’t be afraid of the ball, and just play because you love it, and I think that’s the kind of advice I’ve always followed. If I didn’t love what I was doing, I would have stopped a long time ago.”
Top image: Robbie Szafranek, Digital Content Manager at Sydney FC
