By RUSSELL BENNETT
IF ALL goes according to plan for Gembrook teenager Ryan Scott, this will be his last season behind the stumps as a wicket-keeper.
It’s not that he doesn’t love cricket – far from it, he’s been playing ever since he was nine-years-old – but he’s hoping he may have one or two slightly more pressing soccer commitments on his calendar in 2014.
Ryan, now 17, played a key role in Emerald Cricket Club’s District division WGCA premiership in season 2012-13.
But, just as the side made the step up into the Premier tier, he took a step back – realising this may be his last chance to play alongside big brother Geordie, Gembrook’s B Grade skipper.
While the move might have seemed like a head-scratcher to some, this time next year, cricket could well be the furthest thing from Ryan’s mind as his focus looks set to be taken up by keeping gloves of a different kind.
At the moment, though, that’s a hypothetic situation. His immediate focus is on two separate soccer tours of England and Wales – coming home in between to celebrate his 18th birthday with family and friends.
Geordie also has the world game pumping through his veins, having played in recent seasons for Monbulk and Mornington – where Ryan followed.
It’s a trend that started some 13 years ago – when Ryan got into soccer after watching Geordie play.
As the younger brother, Ryan would always have to keep goal in the family backyard. Seniority ruled.
Maybe that’s why Ryan loved playing in the midfield so much as he progressed through the ranks – from Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, back to Melbourne to play with Berwick City, and then to Monbulk and Mornington.
But about two-and-a-half years ago – well after his cricket wicket-keeping career started – a light bulb went off … As someone who wasn’t exactly blessed with blistering speed, maybe he should make more use of that exceptional hand-eye coordination.
The by-product of that?
Going to England in December for the West Ham International Academy.
“We go over as a team – we’ve been training for the last month,” Ryan said before what may well be one of his last matches alongside Geordie with the Gembrook Cricket Club.
“We go over to play and train against Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham – which is where we’re based, Coventry, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Bolton Wanderers.
“We get training from their coaches and play against their academy sides – their youth teams.”
If that wasn’t enough to make his head spin – he will also be in the stands taking in some blockbuster clashes.
“We’ll see Liverpool versus West Ham at Anfield, Manchester United and Chelsea – both in the Champions League, and Tottenham in the Europa League,” he said.
The only match-up the mad Newcastle United fan isn’t thrilled about … West Ham’s clash with Newcastle’s bitter enemy, Sunderland. The Scott family has a foot in each camp.
While he will return to Australia briefly to celebrate his step into adulthood, he’ll be back in England as goalkeeper for the Australian under-19 schoolboys side before he barely has time to blink.
“I turn 18 the day after I get back the first time, go to Sydney on 6 January for a two-day training camp and then head back over there,” Ryan said, still in a state of amazement.
“We go to England, then Wales to play the Cardiff and Swansea youth sides.
“We also play Sheffield United, the Welsh schoolboys, British schoolboys and the British College schoolboys.”
All of it is invaluable exposure to a youngster desperate to prove his worth on the big stage.
But he knows the importance of keeping a level head.
“It’s a great privilege to be going over there,” he said.
“(And) I’m not going to die wondering.
“When I pull on the Australian shirt, it will be a pretty special moment – that’s when I think it will all sink in.”
Ryan attends the Ringwood-based Sports Education and Development Australia (SEDA) school – part of Melbourne Victory’s Talented Player Program (TPP).
It’s there he is taught by one of his biggest influences in football so far – Billy Natsioulas.
If it wasn’t for him, and Melbourne Knights ‘Goalkeeper of the Century’ Peter Blasby – Scott’s coach at State League 2 side Mornington – the Gembrook youngster doesn’t know where he’d be.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure on where I’m playing yet next year, but obviously I’ll be happy to stay at Mornington if the senior spot is there,” Ryan said.
“I just want to play senior football and hopefully have a good year.
“I need to put my head down and not get a big head or anything – I just need to work hard.
“It’s a bit different being a goalkeeper, too – sometimes you might only get one chance to impact a game.
“You’ve just got to be on your toes and ready to go.”
Ryan, who has also served as captain of the Victorian schoolboys side, displayed that level head of his once again when he thanked his family for their commitment and sacrifice in helping him ply his world game trade on the world stage.
“My parents have run me around to games, training and school all over the place for 15 years,” he said.
“They’ve given me the opportunity to go (overseas), which isn’t cheap, and they’ve been behind me all the way.”
With Ryan’s Gembrook Cricket Club mates behind him too, they’re not the only ones.
