Romsey junior footballer Jake Lever on the weekend took a giant step towards living his dream of playing AFL football. The 17-year-old was selected in the Under 16 Victorian Metropolitan Squad that will travel to Sydney on Friday July 6 to take on Western Australia, South Australia and Victorian Country as part of the Under 16 AFL State Championships.
"It is a huge honour to be in the best 24 kids in the state," proud dad Alan Lever said.
The Romsey Junior Football Club and Romsey Football Netball Club are very proud of his efforts as he has matured and grown as a talented footballer and young person through the respective clubs. Lever played a key role in the Under 16s premiership victory over Woodend last year. He has had a stellar start to the year where he was named captain of the Barry Davis Calder Cannons Squad and has kicked 33 goals in the last three weeks with the Romsey Under 16s.
"He will give it his best shot and we at the Romsey Junior Football Club are proud of all that he has achieved," Romsey Junior Football Club committee member Mark Richardson said.
Lever was a runner with the senior Romsey team last year and that provided him with the experience of being around a strong senior team environment. He was a big part of the team off the field as the club went on to take the premiership and provided a greater indication that hard work does have its rewards. Richardson said that being in the Calder Cannons squad helped teach Lever how to use his body, get into the right positions and use his versatility. Since recovering from osteitis pubis, he has somewhat had a new lease of life and has worked hard to improve himself.
He played at full-back for the Riddell District Junior Football League Under 15s team in the AFL Victorian Championships last year. The team went on to finish runner-up in the championships, an historic achievement for the club. Richardson suggested that the move into the backline during the championships put Lever on the radar a lot more. His results up forward speak for themselves but he has been able to improve his ability to read the play well since playing down back. In a game that demands players to be more versatile, he has done all the right things to help his chances of progressing further.
"He loves it, he is a good listener, is first on the track and last off the track, he is the sort of player every coach would love to have," Richardson said.
Unfortunately for Richardson, he has only been able to coach Lever for one year and that was in the Under 14s when he went down with osteitis pubis. Lever and fellow Romsey junior footballer Nathan Blair have grown up together playing football. Blair narrowly missed the cut for the Calder Cannons list and is now playing a starring role for the Romsey Senior team as a 17-year-old with every chance that his time will come. Richardson said that Lever has a bit of extra height and is a bit more athletic than Blair and is proud of what they have both achieved and will achieve in their future football careers.
Coaching aside, Richardson has seen Lever grow as a mature young footballer who has won five club best and fairests and captained the club on four occasions. It was of no surprise around the Romsey club when Lever was announced as captain of the Calder Cannons Barry Davis Squad.
"He was a leader from the start and he is a leader now," Richardson said, " he is a genuine role model around the club."
Vic Metro will play Vic Country on Saturday July 7, WA on Tuesday July 10 and SA on Friday July 13 with all games at Blacktown.
He will be coached by Mark Fisher who took on the role last November after stints as Under 16 coach at the TAC Cup team the Eastern Rangers Under 16 squad and assistant with the Under 18s. Fisher has been very impressed with Lever's progress this year to warrant selection.
"He has put himself in the best positive position," Fisher said.
He said that he was very impressed with Lever's ability to collect the ball at ground level, describing him as good in the air and great for his size. He still needs to work on his speed and agility but will get there in time.
"His attitude has been great," Fisher said, "he is willing to give everything ago."
"He has a willingness to do well and has embraced the program."
Fisher said that the Victorian Metropolitan Academy program has been very efficient and important for young footballers. He encourages all kids to play school and club football and embrace what the program gives them.
"My message to the kids is to go and play and remember where you came from, and don't play safe," Fisher said.
Fisher is very supportive of Lever keeping up his club football commitments and boxing training during the week. It's a routine that has worked for him to this point and he hopes that he can keep it up because it works.
He said that the academy is filled with good kids who have a thirst for knowledge. They are in an elite environment and have all the resources to mature as young adults and enhance their football abilities. He originally had a squad of 50 that was cut to a squad of 24.
"Some find it hard to cope with and don't tick all the boxes," Fisher said, "The program gives them a step in the right direction."
Fisher has the squad for two hours each week and also had them for a camp over the Queen's Birthday weekend where they worked with kids on values, trademarks in football, physiotherapy and dietary requirements.
The kids are encouraged to keep out of their comfort zones and Lever was one of those to accept the challenge. Fisher said that the football will take care of itself and he wants the kids to take more than just their playing experience from the game.
"I want them to leave the program as better people, to hold doors open for people and show courtesy," Fisher said.
After the championships, some players will be chosen for the Australian Institute of Sport squad and there will be others that go back to playing with their clubs. Some players will be given a chance to play as bottom-aged players in their Under 18 TAC Cup team this year and next year. Lever will most certainly be in contention given that he is the captain of the Under 16 Calder Cannons Development Squad.
There will be handful of players who will go on to represent the Victorian Metropolitan Under 18 squad next year as under-aged players. There were eight bottom-aged players selected in the squad recently.
"This is a fantastic advertisement for the game," Fisher said.
Last Modified on 19/06/2012 10:59