AN UNEXPECTED call up to the Victorian futsal (indoor soccer) ranks will give Narre Warren North’s Luke Hall a chance to shine on the national stage later this year.
His studies at Beaconhills’ Pakenham campus took precedent over his sporting ambitions… or at least most of them.
He couldn’t maintain his hectic sporting schedule – juggling outdoor soccer and field hockey while in Year 12 – but sport wasn’t put entirely on the backburner this year.
Hall, 18, impressed at a recently held school futsal tournament and was plucked from his Beaconhills’ side to take on the rest of Australia for the Victorian side.
“I just play futsal at the moment, which is with a bunch of school mates playing indoor,” Hall said.
“I did outdoor but had to stop it with school – especially with two nights a week training and game days as well – so I just picked up indoor as it seemed really fun.”
He was plucked from that tournament to represent the schoolboys – who head up to Brisbane later this year for the national championships.
“My teacher came into class one day with a letter for me to say I was selected for the state team – I guess they must have had scouts there – was a bit of a surprise but it’s very exciting,” Hall said.
Two-and-a-half years of futsal later and Hall is hooked on the pace of the indoor variant and prefers to take on the game through the centre.
“I’m pretty competitive – I like the pace of it – compared to outdoor it’s a lot more technical and I’ve developed my one-on-one – it’s a lot quicker pace, not only with your feet, but also the way you think,” Hall said.
“I play a lot of different spots – at the school tournament I play a bit forward, but in weeknight team I play a bit more defensively, pushing into midfield – holding, controlling midfielder.
“You get to see the whole game and control the tempo.”
He hopes to pick up a couple of goals at the championships as Hall’s futsal side will battle the rest of the nation in September, with the tournament held in Brisbane.
Hall wanted to thank the people who donated to his fundraising cause – including MPs Luke Donnellan and Brad Battin – and if anyone else is interested in further helping him out, contact Hall’s mother Debbie at tigesrus@bigpond.net.au.
