Junior Matildas know the price they're willing to pay to make it

The Junior Matildas qualified for the U-17 Women's World Cup for the first time, after making it to the semifinals of the Asian Cup.

Athletes are often told there's a price to pay if they want to make it to the top of elite sport.

And the journey has to start young, but the Junior Matildas are framing the cost of pursuing their dreams differently.

"No matter what you choose to do in life, there's a price of entry," coach Mike Cooper told ABC Sport.

"Whether that's how much time and effort you have to put into it as a mum and dad driving your child around, the ups and downs of playing well, not playing well, learning from that.

"No matter what level anyone's achieved in whatever sport, they've gone through similar things and knowing that and learning from that I think is really humbling."

Cooper comes from a teaching background, and with two teenage daughters of his own, is uniquely placed to tap into the teen psyche.

He knows the expectations placed on any team carrying the Matildas moniker, especially this group, which is the first Australian side to qualify for the U-17 Women's World Cup.

"We want to go with a purpose, we want to perform, want the girls to express themselves, be brave, be bold, make themselves proud before making other people proud," he said.

"And then come home and learn from that experience because whatever happens over there is just part of their journey."

It's the opportunity of a very young lifetime for players such as 15-year-old Willa Pearson.

She is already a familiar figure in the women's game here, becoming the youngest-ever A-League player last season when she debuted at 14.

She then broke Sam Kerr's record as the league's youngest-ever goalscorer.

"It hasn't really sunk in. [I'm] trying to take it step by step, play as good as I can and when I get the opportunity to step on the field, perform as well as I can for Sydney."