Our Under 15 and Under 16 boys' teams completed a successful National Youth Championships campaign last week in Wollongong, NSW.
They may not have reached the finals, but their performances were nothing short of impressive.
The Under 15s were an equal match for larger Member Federation outfits NSW Metro Sky and Queensland Silver, recording draws in both encounters, and beat the Northern Territory 4-0 and NSW Country 2-0.
Head Coach Franco Previdi told FA he was full of pride to see the determination and grit his side has shown during the tournament.
“I'm very happy and we can't be prouder of these young men,” Previdi said.
“We come from a small State, and we try to develop these kids as much as we can, so holding our own with some of the other teams here is fantastic to see.”
Preparing for the National Youth Championships was a challenge for the tenacious Tasmanian team. Typically, they would have 20 to 30 matches under their belt as preparation, but bad weather and logistical challenges limited them to just two training sessions before making the trip to Wollongong.
Previdi is eager to unearth more Tasmanian talent and showcase their potential.
“Two or three boys make the move to the mainland every year after the National Youth Championships which is good to see and a great experience for them,” Previdi said.
“We have a lot of good players out there (in Tasmania).
"The local competition is getting stronger, but it’s the development of those kids that's important and why you come here. You see examples like NSW, Queensland and Victoria, they always have an extra gear.
“So for us it’s all about the experience and these kids are very, very focused and I'm very proud.”
On Sunday 21 July, the Under 16 boys beat Queensland Silver 4-0, and narrowly went down to the Invitational 11 on Saturday 20 July, 1-2.
Full results available via Game Day here: Competitions at National Youth Championship - GameDay (mygameday.app)
Pictures: Damian Briggs/Football Australia