Busselton player rises to the challenge

Samuel Guthridge is the winner of the April Busselton Freight Services Rising Sports Star Award, as he is well on the way to reaching his goal of playing in the national soccer A-league.

The 14-year-old Busselton player said it was good to be credited for his achievements and that “hard work has rewards”.

This year the teenager received an associate scholarship to the elite WA National Training Centre, run by Football Federation Australia, which feeds players to State and national teams.

Samuel was happy to be awarded the scholarship and said “it’s a good stepping stone”.

The player trains in Perth two days a week in preparation for representing Australia with the WA State Team at the 2012 Asian Football Federation Tournament to be held in Malaysia.

In 2011 he captained the WA under-13 team at the National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbor NSW and the WA State Regional under-13 at the Singa Cup Tour in Singapore.

He plays for Bunbury Forum Force in the premier league under-14 and travels there for weekly training, playing alternating games in Perth and Bunbury.

The athlete said he was grateful for his parents’ support, especially in driving him to practise and games, where he often “squeezes in homework on the drive”.

Samuel started playing soccer at six and said he enjoyed “scoring goals and the tactics of the game”.

He spent his early years with St Joseph’s Junior Soccer Club.

During that time he also captained the Leeuwin Naturaliste Junior Soccer Association’s team and helped win the Country Week 2009 shield and the 2010 runner-up shield.

The Busselton Dunsborough Times proudly supports the Rising Sports Star Awards.

Nomination forms are available from the Queen Street office or contact editor@bdtimes.com.au.