Bryleeh Henry: Making A Difference On and Off the Pitch

For Bryleeh Henry, football wasn’t always the obvious choice. With six different sports vying for her attention when she was growing up, it wasn’t exactly a linear path. Saturdays started with athletics, before dashing over to softball, followed by futsal. Throw in swimming and oztag before even thinking about football, and you begin to understand why “busy” is the word she uses to describe her earlier years.

As the third of four sisters, Bryleeh describes the fun that was growing up alongside each other in Sydney’s west. She tells stories of promises from older siblings for doing chores - a tale most siblings could relate to. “I reckon I’m owed a grand in debt for that!” She speaks lovingly about her family, and about how she’d love to have kids one day and give them a similar upbringing. “I love being home and around family, when they’re building their lives and being a part of it.”

Now into her second year at Melbourne City, a knee injury has kept the young attacker from starting the A-League season so far. Bryleeh is quick to point out one positive, which is that a full home and away season (for the first time) means she has more time to come back. When she does return, she has a goal in mind. “Try and get back into the starting eleven, which is going to be hard. Other than that, I want to score, have fun.”

At only 20 years of age, Bryleeh shows no shortage of perspective. “I feel like people don’t realise that you can’t play football forever. It’s a big chunk of your life but such a small chunk as well.” She’s eager to make the most of her opportunities now. “I’ve always said to myself that the day I wake up and don’t want to go to training will be the day that I quit… hopefully not anytime soon,” she laughs.

In 2019, Bryleeh got her first taste of international football through a Pacific tour with the Junior Matildas. Prior to this, she says she wasn’t in the mix but paid close attention to their games. “When I came into that camp I remember all the girls introducing themselves, but I knew every single one of their names because I’d been watching their tours.” No matter which environment she plays in, she’s been paying attention. 

It didn’t take long for her first senior call up, and when she took the field in a win over Brazil in 2021 she became the 217th Matilda. “It doesn’t even feel real now. I remember when I first went in, talking to the girls, they must’ve thought I was so weird. I could barely speak, but they’re literally just normal people.” Bryleeh recalls her experiences there with much affection, and it’s clear that she’s found motivation from that time. “I’d like to go back in, that would be a dream.” 

Away from the pitch, Bryleeh spends her days off as a support worker for What Ability, a disability support service. “Sometimes it’s little kids, sometimes older people. Today we went bowling and then went to Bunnings… It’s just being a friend.” It allows Bryleeh to take her mind off football, and it also ties in nicely with what she sees for herself post-football - a career where she can help people. 

For now, she’s focused on getting back onto the pitch. “Baby steps,” she says. At City, she’s surrounded by talented and supportive team mates. She knows she’ll be back to doing what she loves soon, but it doesn’t take away from how hard the time out has been. “Especially when you’re sitting in the stands and watching, you really want to be out there. It’s like, I just want it to be me.”

Playing football is not something Bryleeh Henry takes for granted, but she also recognises the need for balance in her life. “If you just focus on the one thing all the time you overthink it, you miss the fun. When I’m playing my best, I’m not thinking. I just go out and everything happens without actually thinking about it.” It’s this outlook that has helped her achieve so much already, both on and off the pitch… and to think, she’s still only 20.

Words and photos by Rachel Bach.