The NPLW Gold Medal is the highest individual accolade a player can achieve in the state-wide competition and on Monday, September 5 Football Victoria will crown its first winner in three years due to COVID-19.
The amalgamation of the Victorian Soccer Federation and Victorian Women's Soccer Association witnessed the birth of the Gold Medal in 1999 for the best player in the Victorian Premier League which is voted by match officials after each match.
Since the medal’s inception, two women have won the award back-to-back; South Melbourne’s Tiffany Eliadis in 2013-14 and Calder United’s Catherine Zimmerman, but only one player has won the Gold Medal three times – Louisa Bisby.
Louisa Bisby won her first Gold Medal award in 2000, her second in 2003, and her third in 2011 which shows her longevity in the game with 12 years separating her first and final winning seasons.
Bisby started her footballing journey in 1993 with Aston Villa before migrating to Australia where she had a terrific junior career, which included a tour of Holland (Australian U18 Team) and then a trip to Iceland with the U21 Australian Team to participate in the U21 Nordic Cup.
The midfielder first made her mark on the Victorian football scene in the rebranded Women’s Premier League for the Brunswick Zebras when she was a part of the 1996-97 back-to-back premierships.
The amalgamation of the Victorian Soccer Federation and Victorian Women's Soccer Association in 1999 resulted in a participation boom for women’s football across the junior and senior ranks.
The following season, Bisby played in Ringwood City’s premiership side and won her first Gold Medal.
“We had a really enjoyable year and great season,” Bisby said.
‘The team was a strong side consisting of state and national team players and our coach at the time made training enjoyable but also intense.
“I never expected to win the Gold Medal, I just wanted to enjoy the game and continue to develop as a player. It was a good reward for my hard work.”
In 2002, Bisby played professional football for Sichuan FC based in Chengdu, China before returning home and along with her Ringwood City teammates, she made a move to Box Hill Inter.
She found instant success at her new club winning her second Gold Medal in 2003 to coincide with her side's premiership triumph.
“We had a good run as a team, that’s for sure,” she said.
“To win my second Gold Medal in a premiership year was pretty special, but I was more concerned about being a team player and helping others on the pitch succeed”
After a successful stint in the NPLW, Bisby made the move to Europe in 2004 to play semi-professional with Brauweiler Pulheim, based in Germany until 2006.
“I loved playing in Germany as it was a strong competitive league and when we didn’t have matches we were able to travel and explore other German cities or travel to neigbouring countries” Bisby recounted.
“It was a good life experience. I was able to learn German, be independent, and experience life in a different country and another culture.”
On July 22, Bisby earnt her first Matildas cap in Australia’s 1-0 defeat against New Zealand in Coffs Harbour.
Bisby returned home to Melbourne in 2008 where she re-joined Box Hill Inter, culminating in WPL championship glory in 2008.
“It was a really good experience,” she said.
“I had been to many camps beforehand but that was when I won my first official cap.
“Looking back, I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to represent Australia.”
In 2008, she was also part of Melbourne Victory’s inaugural A-League W squad, where she played 22 matches and scored one goal from 2008-13.
While playing for Melbourne Victory, Bisby continued to play for Box Hill Inter during the NPL season and in 2012 she was once again named the league's best player in a premiership season.
“We had an excellent season and the Grand Final v Bundoora United FC was probably one of the most memorable games due to the competitiveness and large number of goals scored. Penalties ended up being the decider” she recalled.
“The 2012 season was the most enjoyable, I won the Gold Medal and the medal count was so close with Enza Barilla. From memory, it was a vote or two between us. She had a solid season - great player.”
Despite her on-field career drawing to a close, Bisby still has a massive pulse on women’s football in Australia.
Earlier this year, Bisby was appointed team manager of the Young Matildas, only four weeks before the 2022 U20 Women's World Cup in Costa Rica.
Before her appointment with the youth national team, Bisby spent over 12 years with Melbourne City, firstly as the Melbourne Heart FC/Melbourne City FC Game Development Officer for 6 years and then the next years as the Player Welfare Manager and A-League Women's Team Manager (Operations and logistics).
Bisby's greatest memories at Melbourne City were winning the inaugural season with Joe Montemurro, the staff and helping many A-League senior players (male and female) relocate and settle to Melbourne and assist them off-field whilst at the club.