By JARROD POTTER
The last thing Pakenham under-15 footballer Bol Jok wants before he heads to the Gold Coast is to write down his hopes for the upcoming Under-16 National Championships.
Jok, 15, from Pakenham, doesn’t want any distractions before he and the World Team (players of mixed origins who now call Australia home) head off to the upcoming NAB Under-16 Championships on the Gold Coast.
His selection in the team is the greatest honour of his football career so far and he wants to repay the selectors as he develops his football.
“I feel honoured and privileged,” Jok said.
“First we want to win and I just want to do my best at the championships and learn a few things.”
Jok will have good support at the carnival with his cousin Changkouth Jiath (CJ), who lives in Morwell, also selected in the final squad of 25.
“My cousin CJ is also in the team – it’s good and will make us closer as well,” Jok said.
Jok’s recent form has not been up to his own standards, with his efforts for the South East Juniors under-15 first’s interleague team a little pressured, but the lessons learned from the unsuccessful interleague campaign are set to guide him into the under-16 championships.
“We finished interleague last week – under-15 firsts – lost the first one to South Metro and won the next one against Western Region and lost to Essendon but it was a close game,” Jok said.
“I didn’t play my best at the start, but the last game I thought I put it all out.
“Probably go hard at the ball and I dropped a few marks and I felt pressured, but I got over that.”
Jok’s Victorian World Team coach David Rodan said the mix of speed and endurance make the Sudanese rising star’s prospects promising for the carnival and beyond.
“Bol is very exciting and great to watch,” Rodan said.
“He is extremely athletic for his height with great endurance achieving 13.5 in the beep test.
“He has clean hands and is assured by foot, making him an exciting prospect for AFL recruiters.”
Jok wanted to thank all the people that have helped him get better and the Pakenham Football Club for letting him become part of the club.
The championships started on Friday and run until Saturday 12 July.
