Newcastle Jets stalwart, Jenna Kingsley has announced her retirement from professional football.
Kingsley, 28, made her Westfield W-League debut back in 2008. She played for both Central Coast Mariners and Western Sydney Wanderers before joining Newcastle Jets in 2015.
Since that move some five years ago, Kingsley didn’t miss a single match for the Club. She would play 61 times for the Newcastle Jets, scoring nine goals. Her 61 appearances see her retire as the Club’s seventh-most capped player of all-time.
Kingsley finished her Westfield W-League career with 87 appearances in the country’s topflight competition, the 39th highest capped player in the competition’s history.
Kingsley said that the time was right for her to move on to the next stage of her life, but her career in football was something for which she’d always be grateful.
“I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to play in the W-League for so many years, and I want to thank everyone who has been involved with my football career – coaches, players and fans,” Kingsley said.
“I would especially like to thank the Newcastle Jets, staff and players. I had a great time competing and playing at the highest level with all of you, but Newcastle has also enabled me to start building my future in a town that I now call home.
“Now is the time for me to really focus on my life outside of football which is finishing my electrical apprenticeship with Stowe and taking the next steps to build my future.
“A very special thank you to Deansy, the ‘wannabe champ’. I’ll miss your antics, and I’ll also miss the passion and dedication you put into coaching us girls!
“I’ve been able to make lifelong friends at the clubs I have played for, and travel the country doing something I love. I truly am so appreciative that I’ve been able to experience that.”
Former Westfield W-League Head Coach and current Academy Technical Director, Craig Deans, paid tribute to a player he described as immensely dedicated.
“Jenna played here for five seasons and showed amazing commitment both on and off the field,” Deans said.
“Even in the seasons where she didn’t score perhaps as many goals as she’d have liked, she still contributed in a big way on the pitch and behind the scenes.
“I would like to thank Jenna for her dedication to the Jets over the last five seasons. I’ll miss her big personality and I wish her every happiness and success in the next chapter of her life.”
