Ten weeks ago the 19-year-old feared her Olympic dreams could be over when it was confirmed she had a stress fracture in her foot. But after a remarkable road to recovery the 2008 OFC Women’s Player of the Year has booked her ticket to London.
Coach Tony Readings named striker White in his 18-strong squad last Friday, meaning she will complete a medley of appearances at FIFA finals having already participated at the U-17, U-20 and senior Women’s World Cups.
As the Ferns get set to leave for Switzerland this Saturday, oceaniafootball.com caught up with the UCLA student to get her reaction on being named in the squad and hear how the preparations are going.
How does it feel to be heading off to your first Olympics?
It feels unreal. It’s only just hit me that I’m actually going to London.
Were you nervous before the team announcement considering you’ve just come back from injury?
Yes, it was a bit touch and go because I’ve had 10 weeks off with a stress fracture in my foot but I’m just really stoked to have been selected. Tony has put a lot of trust in me that I can get back to match fitness.
Are you happy with how you are training?
I actually feel really fit with all the circuit training and gym work I’ve been doing, plus I’ve also been able to do a lot of running recently. Now it’s just a matter of getting back into playing.
What are the team goals heading into the Olympics?
All of the matches are going to be tough but I definitely think we can get out of the group. That’s the plan and then we want to progress even further.
Was it hard to sit out the recent matches against China and Australia?
It’s been disappointing to miss those warm-up games but there is nothing I can do about it. I’ll now just focus on working hard at training and hopefully get a chance to play in the next games in Switzerland as part of the build-up.
Do you think playing at UCLA has better prepared you for this step up in competition?
I think going to the United States was the best choice for me. It’s such a good life experience as well as being a good environment for the football. The coaches are awesome and they’ve been really supportive in terms of allowing me to take time off to be with the national team. I think playing at a higher level over there has really helped with my development.
What will you work on to try and get into the starting line-up for the Football Ferns?
I think the main thing is to be confident in terms of my finishing. I’ll work in training to have lots of shots and also to be aggressive and get on the ball. It’s about making a difference up front.

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