By JARROD POTTER
IT WILL be an unforgettable summer for Pakenham soccer dynamo Reece Caldecourt.
Caldecourt, 17, has earned his place in the Melbourne Victory’s National Youth League (NYL) team, which if all things go to plan, could earn him an A-League debut in the upcoming 2014/15 season.
His path to the Victory started as a three-year-old in Bournemouth, England, where the young Victory defender started his soccer journey with Littledown Juniors, Bournemouth Poppies and Poole Town Youth.
“I was very young when I started – probably about three – and I played small sided stuff and got into it through the indoor version of the sport and moved up and up,” Caldecourt said.
Relocating to Australia when he was 11 with his family, Caldecourt picked up where he left off in England with his soccer as he started to move up the ranks and play in the former Victorian Champions League (VCL) and clubs around Victoria including the Casey Comets.
He earned a trial for the Victory through a school soccer performance with Haileybury College, as coach Grant Brebner – a former Melbourne Victory and English Premier League player – encouraged him to trial for the NYL squad.
“I got scouted when I was just playing for my school in a school match,” Caldecourt said.
“I was having a good game and one of our coaches – Grant Brebner – he’s an ex-Manchester United player – he said you’ve got a lot of good about you but a lot of bad as well – cause I’ve got a bit of a temper on the field as well – but if you learn to control that you’re good to go.”
Caldecourt stormed through the trials to earn his place in the side and vividly remembers the moment he was told he had become part of the Victory.
“I was overjoyed – it stayed with me and I reckon it will stay with me for a while,” he said.
“I remember it crystal clear – it was just me and the coach Darren Davis and he turned around and said we want you in the team and I was over the moon, couldn’t be happier.”
The full back isn’t setting his sights too high for this season and just wants to improve and work towards the ultimate soccer dream – a professional contract.
“Definitely just want improve my game as they’ve said you’re still in the youth system and it’s about improvement,” Caldecourt said.
“That’s all I want to do – be the best player I can be and in years to come gather the skills together to get a pro-contract and set my life up.”
Caldecourt also excelled at the recently held School Sport Australia 19-and-under Boys Soccer Championships – his efforts representing Victoria earned him an Australian team berth and he will travel to China and England early next year on tour.
He wanted to thank his family for their support of his soccer, driving and flying him to all parts of the country to pursue his soccer ambitions.
