As a footballer, Emily van Egmond is used to playing the waiting game.
Remaining patient is an often-heard cliche from football coaches in regards to the key to success. But the situation has never been quite like this for the long-serving Matildas midfielder.
Back with her family in Newcastle, the 26-year-old is trying to remain as positive as she can while she waits to hear if and when the National Women's Soccer League season in the United States will kick off.
After securing her first ever W-League championship on March 21, when Melbourne City beat Sydney 1-0 in the grand final played behind closed doors, van Egmond returned to her home town.
The Matildas' international friendlies scheduled against the US in Utah and Canada in Vancouver last month were both cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and the start of the NWSL season has been postponed.
Van Egmond is contracted again to Orlando Pride. The NWSL season was meant to start two weeks ago but is on hold with an extension to the team training moratorium in place until May 15.
"I'm just hanging out to hear what happens with our season in America," van Egmond told the Newcastle Herald. "I'm trying to stay positive and use this time in a positive way by focusing on things I might not have been able to focus on if I was with a team. Individually working on my game, whether that's with a ball or doing some strength stuff. You don't normally get that isolated training a lot of times with a team."
Also off the schedule this year are the Toyko Olympics, postponed for 12 months. Van Egmond was a stand-out for Australia as the Matildas secured Olympic qualification only weeks before the world went into total shutdown due to coronavirus.
She has been to three World Cups and one Olympic Games and remained philosophical about the postponement of the Toyko Games, saying it meant there was "still stuff to play for and work for".
"You can look at it that we're obviously lucky that we were able to get our qualifiers done, so we cemented our place to go and that's probably the best thing that's happened," van Egmond said.
"China and South Korea still haven't played yet, so they're still waiting to see what happens. I'm just stoked that we already know that we're going. Now it's just like everyone, just having to wait for all of the restrictions to be lifted to start your preparations.
"But it just is what it is. You've just got to wait. But then I'm sure our preparations will be as best as we can to give ourselves the best opportunity to medal at the Olympics, to win something."
She was also thrilled Newcastle's McDonald Jones Stadium has been named as a venue to be used if the joint bid between Australia and New Zealand to host the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is successful.
"Regardless if I'm playing or not at 2023, I still think it's awesome for Newcastle to host," van Egmond said.
"In the past when we've had games here, we've had such great crowds. The team loves coming here and playing just because of the atmosphere and the crowd we get, and that's a really good thing for the bid. Hopefully we get it and hopefully people get to experience it."
She has been part of many milestone moments for the Matildas and hosting the World Cup would be another.
Since making her national debut in 2010, the Matildas have gone on to experience a golden era and are finally receiving the recognition they have always deserved. That has included signing an historic collective bargaining agreement last year that took top-tier player earnings to $83,000 per year - the same as the top Socceroos - down to a $40,000 minimum.
"It's just good to see where the game has gotten to from when I first came in," van Egmond said.
"We're extremely grateful for that and as current Westfield Matildas you only hope that it paves the way for the future generation coming through and we hope that it continues to grow."
