On the field in the UK

Australian Schoolboys UK Football Tour 2018

Jarrod Carluccio had an outstanding year on the football pitch in 2017. He was captain of our school Opens Boys Football team, helping them win the Regional KO and reach the last 16 teams in the State KO competition. He represented Bernera Zone. He was awarded a Bernera Zone Blue. He was selected in the Sydney South West team. He helped his team to the silver medal at the NSW CHS (Combined High Schools) Championships. He was awarded a Sydney South West Blue. He was selected in the NSW CHS 1’s team where he won the gold medal and golden boot winner at the NSW All Schools Football Championships. He was awarded a CHS Blue.   As a member of the NSW All Schools team he won a gold medal at the School Sport Australia Opens Boys Football Championships. He was rewarded with selection in the Australian Schoolboys team to tour UK in 2018.         B Condon, Sports Coordinator

(written by Jarrod Carluccio, School Captain)

On the 10th of January 2018, I and 19 other boys went into training camp for what would be our first time representing our country. In my perspective the camp was useful as it allowed 19 individuals to become one team in the short time that we had together. On the field we worked on tactics and strategy but off the field we were simply just working on being mates!

We departed Australia on the 12th of January and had a very long flight to the UK. As we landed in Heathrow it became so much more real to all of us. To have the opportunity to play football in Europe representing our country was something that gave me such a thrill. The first day consisted of jet lag and watching a championship game between Cardiff and Sunderland, which was an unbelievable experience as the home team, Cardiff, won 3-0.

Final preparations started as we had the opportunity to train in the Cardiff Sports Dome. Training in the Cardiff Sports Dome felt like a once in a lifetime experience. The sports dome was a huge, inflatable indoor 3G pitch. It was the first of many amazing experiences on the trip.

As the tour finally started, I was extremely curious as to how we would perform in comparison to essentially our competition as young aspiring footballers. We were playing Bristol City and were excited to put our training and unity to the test. After the 90 minutes in tough conditions we won the game 2-0 with a convincing performance. Spirits were high as we made our trip from Bristol back to Cardiff!  Recovery was short, but we were all prepared for the next task ahead and that was to compete with Shrewsbury Town. Shrewsbury were tough and conditions were also challenging. It was an amazing experience to play in snow for the first time, but an even better experience to be marked by a first team player (25 years old) from Shrewsbury Town. After my first assist we were able to draw level before half time and then go on to win the game 4-3 with a last minute penalty.

The next game was a long trip to Newport where we were to face a youth side that were unbeaten in their league last season. They were very tough physically and mentally and were very hard to break down. After the 90 minutes we were defeated 2-1. I, along with the other boys were all a bit down after the result as we had set such high expectations of ourselves individually and as a group to win every single game. We quickly bounced back with a 4-1 win over Welsh Colleges in our first international game which was an incredible experience playing in the Welsh Institute of Sport Stadium. We then got the opportunity to play against an English Premier League side in Swansea. I was over the moon when I heard that the game had been scheduled. The experience and rush that I got when walking through the academy’s facilities was second to none and is something I will remember for a very long time. We were able to compete for the whole 90 minutes and after a slick counter attack I was able to split the defence with a pass and my teammate was able to calmly place the ball in the back of the net. We drew 1-1.

We now had a two day break where we would visit Old Trafford and also be able to explore the Trafford Centre in Manchester. I used the two day break to rejuvenate and switch off from football to reflect and let the first week sink in. I also used the two days to manage any small injuries in order to be at my best for the final four games of the tour.

The first game back was our second international against English Colleges and it was another tough game against the odds. Personally, this was one of my best games of the tour. We went down 1-0 in the early stages of the game, then 2-0 after just after half time. We fought back to 2-1 and then were unlucky to have conceded an own goal. Although there wasn’t much time left on the clock, I still believed that we could get something out of the game. I began to try and lift the morale of the team and get the intensity back into the game. We scored and made it 3-2 and continued to pile on the pressure, but were unable to steal a result from the game. What i learnt personally from this game was that when we worked that extra 1% and put in the effort to win a tackle or make a better pass for our teammate, we were successful. We moved on to play Bolton Wanderers and after 20 minutes I was unfortunate to pick up a poor injury that would sadly end my tour on the pitch, but most certainly not off it! The final 3 games we won 1-0, lost 1-0 and then won our final game 1-0. What I learnt while being injured was to just live in the moment and not dwell on things.

This tour was an experience that I will never forget. It taught both lessons on and off the pitch and I will take things from this tour with me through my future career whatever it may be and into life.

I would personally like to thank the Cecil Hills High School community - students, their parents, teachers, P & C for supporting me and my trip overseas. I really do appreciate all of it. Most of all I wish to thank my family for being there with me through it all.

Jarrod “Doggie” Carluccio