Meet the 15-year-old Canberran representing Australia on the futsal world stage
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In a remarkable journey of resilience and determination, 15-year-old Misha Baker is kicking (and saving) goals as she prepares to represent Australia in the Montesilvano Cup in Italy this July.
And she’s the only girl from the ACT playing for Australian under-15’s futsal squad.
Falling in love with the sport at nine years old, the goalkeeper is nervous ahead of her trip overseas to play in what is known as “the best international futsal tournament”, competing alongside 20 other countries and showcasing her talents to prestigious clubs from around the world.
Hoping to give visibility to young players with professional aspirations in the sport, for Misha, playing in the cup isn’t just about futsal – it’s about chasing her dreams and her unwavering drive to succeed against all odds.
Because after enduring a year living in a women’s refuge with her mother and sisters and supporting her grandmother through cancer, Misha has faced more trials in her life than most girls her age. And as she reflects on these experiences, Misha speaks with a wisdom beyond her years.
“Those were some defining moments for me. When I shaved my head for my grandma, I couldn’t let her do it alone because she had cancer, so we raised money for it… And living in the refuge was difficult and it was not fun,” she says.
“I feel like it has definitely made me appreciate my strengths more that I’ve gained. I feel like going through those things has made me gain a lot more resilience and determination.”
Training five days a week, Misha is also the co-captain for her team and coaches her younger sisters’ team. Living and breathing soccer and futsal, she wants to make Australia proud when she competes in Italy. But Lara Baker says just watching one of her four girls shine in a sport she loves is enough to make any mum proud.
“It’s scary being a goalkeeper mum, because at the end of the day, the position that she’s in, there’s no hiding… that can be quite mentally challenging,” says Lara.
“I think she’s come so far out of sheer determination, because she just wants to do well. She just wants to succeed so badly that nothing gets in her way. It’s that passion and that drive that she has that’s amazing.”
Revealing to Misha that she was playing for Australia through a fortune cookie while the family was having Chinese one night, Lara says that her daughter was so shocked that she “cried her eyes out” and that having people believe in her made Misha feel stronger and more confident to chase her dreams.
And with hopes to one day play for Canberra United and, eventually, the Matildas Squad when she’s older, this is only the beginning of Misha’s career.
But as women’s soccer and futsal continues to grow in popularity and more female players take to the fields, Misha says that more needs to be done to support them.
Explaining that a little publicity goes a long way, Misha and Lara also believe that the facilities in Canberra need to be improved.
“Quite often the facilities aren’t there. There’s one set of change rooms for the three girls’ teams playing, and there’s a few boys teams playing as well. And the boys tend to take precedence over the girls,” says Lara.
“The light being shone on females in football has only really started since the World Cup…there’s always been more boys [playing], there’s always been better facilities, and there’s always been more coaching and programs for boys than what there was for girls. For girls, I think that we’re getting there.”
Supported by Echelon Facing and Gate, the Vikings Group, and the Burns Club, it’s thanks to the power of passion and support from her sisters, mum and local community that have helped Misha follow her dreams.
As for why she loves playing so much?
“It’s a different place for me; I get to be my own person. I get to work hard, and nobody’s judging me on the soccer fields.”
