"I MISSED getting the chance to catch up with my friends."
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Wagga United youngster Matayah Gibbons summed up the relief junior soccer players are feeling with their long wait for the game they love to return finally ending.
Junior soccer is the first cab off the rank to return to local fields this weekend, ending the frustration for players and parents alike.
Tolland senior vice president and Wolves women's stalwart Bernadette Blake said her daughters Katie, 13, Mikayla, 10 and Bridget, seven, had missed the social aspect just as much as playing the game.
"We've had to find different ways to exercise as a family, but the kids really love being with their friends away from school and missing that social aspect has been really hard," she said.
"I think it's good for parents to be dragged out of the house in winter and go to some community sport, too.
"It's a credit to Football Wagga because I imagine it's been an absolute headache to figure it out, especially with the (Covid-19) changing all the time."
Blake said Australia and New Zealand's successful bid to host the 2023 Women's World Cup is a huge chance to boost the number of girls playing the game in Wagga.
"Football Wagga are really trying to get the 12s and 14s into the game and the World Cup will help that out heaps," she said.
"Every time there's a World Cup we always have higher levels of registrations, and having one here will be even bigger.
"We were pretty excited in our household when we found out the bid was successful, it's awesome to be able to see their heroes play on home soil."
Wagga United president Shandi Gibbons said it was satisfying to see the hard work of a number of people behind the scenes pay off with the juniors kicking off.
"There's been a lot of planning go into it, meetings and things behind the scenes to get here," she said.
"It will be good to see them kick off this week."
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