YOUNG Futsal Champ Roan Panther is off to Hong Kong and China in August after his selection in the Under 16 Futsal Team was announced this week.

Roan started playing Football at Medowie Football club when he was five.

When he was eleven, he left Medowie to play in Newcastle.

Roan spent two years playing with Nelson Bay Football Club whilst recovering from a painful condition called Osgood Schlatters, a repetitive use injury that causes a lump beneath the kneecap.

He was then invited to play at Lake Macquarie City football club, and is this year playing for Broadmeadow Magic.

Roan started playing Futsal  after attending a school holiday camp three years ago.

He plays socially in a competition held at Maitland, and attends Irrawang High School.

Roan gained selection to the NNSW Futsal nationals team this year and represented them in Sydney in January,

Roan’s father, Robert Panther, told News Of The Area, “From this Roan was invited to the Gol Brasil Academy, which is an initiative to raise the skill level of Australian Children, so that in years to come they can hopefully compete with the Futsal Powerhouses globally.”

“Roan attends the Gol academy fortnightly,”

Two children for each age group in each State were selected through the Gol Brasil academy to then represent Australia at the Pearl River Tournament in China in August.

Roan was selected as an under 16 representative, and now leaves Australia on 1 August for two weeks.

Roan is delighted to be a representative of NNSW Futsal and now Australian Futsal through the Australian Futsal Association.

 

By Rachael VAUGHAN