1. Kyah Pam Simon was born on 25 June 1991 and is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a striker for Sydney FC of the A-League Women.
25 Facts About Kyah Simon
1. 2.
In 2011, Simon became the first Indigenous Australian player to score a goal in a FIFA Women's World Cup.
3.
Kyah Simon has played for Sydney FC, Central Coast Mariners, Western Sydney Wanderers, and Melbourne City in the Australian A-League Women, as well as Boston Breakers and Houston Dash in the American National Women's Soccer League.
4.
Kyah Simon later attended Hills Sports High School, where Alen Stajcic was head coach.
5.
Kyah Simon made her national debut for the Australia women's national soccer team the following year at age 16.
6.
Kyah Simon made her debut for the Central Coast Mariners against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, 25 October 2008.
7.
Kyah Simon joined Sydney FC for the 2009 W-League Season, playing in the first round against former club the Central Coast Mariners.
8.
Kyah Simon earned Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Players Player of the Year honours.
9.
Kyah Simon finished the season as the team's leading scorer with 12 goals and 26 points.
10.
Kyah Simon ranked second in the league in the same categories.
11.
Kyah Simon logged 1,052 minutes with the Breakers and finished with two assists.
12.
In 2013, Kyah Simon signed as a free agent with the Breakers for the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League.
13.
On 30 June 2015, after leading the Australia women's national soccer team to a quarter-final of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, the Boston Breakers announced the signing of Kyah Simon, returning her to the National Women's Soccer League.
14.
On 6 October 2017, Kyah Simon returned to Australia, joining Melbourne City.
15.
Kyah Simon made her debut for the Matildas in August 2007, at the age of 16, in a match against Hong Kong.
16.
Kyah Simon scored her first goal in a win over Brazil in the 2008 Peace Cup.
17.
Kyah Simon was the first male or female Indigenous Australian player to score a goal in a World Cup tournament.
18.
Kyah Simon has learnt about the hardships and discrimination endured by her grandparents' families, which gave her new appreciation for what her family has given her.
19.
Kyah Simon is proud of her Aboriginal heritage, and appreciates social media for the role it plays in helping to "change that conversation [about what it means to be Aboriginal] and open people's eyes to get different perspectives".
20.
Kyah Simon was instrumental in the Matildas' decision to display the Aboriginal flag in the team photo for their first game of the Tokyo Olympics, as a uniquely Australian gesture, rather than taking the knee in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
21.
Kyah Simon has joined Football Australia's inaugural National Indigenous Advisory Group to help foster engagement between the game and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
22.
In 2013, Kyah Simon was featured in an hour-long episode of ESPN's Aussies Abroad entitled, The Matildas, which profiled four Australian national team players and their experience playing internationally.
23.
Kyah Simon was one of the subjects, the other being Lydia Williams, of a football documentary titled No Apologies by filmmaker Ashley Morrison.
24.
In June 2011, Kyah Simon was on the cover of the Australian FourFourTwo Magazine along with fellow Matildas Melissa Barbieri, Sam Kerr, Thea Slatyer and Sarah Walsh.
25.
Kyah Simon's cousin, Gema Simon, was an Australian international footballer.