It was a very proud moment for me as an older sister, when the media release appeared on Friday afternoon advising that my younger brother had signed his first A-League contract for Wellington Phoenix.
As far back as I can remember I was on the sideline of a football pitch. As a family we have travelled far and wide chasing Adam’s football dream. We have lived in the UK, travelled to the US, been to countless trials, college holiday clinics and state titles. Even most recently every second weekend has been taken up with a trip to the Northern Beaches to watch him play. And although I prefer not to admit it, I used to hate it, being the sister on the sideline, being dragged from pillar to post in the name of football.
As I have grown up I have decided instead to embrace it. I suppose you could say, it’s better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. When the opportunity arose to work at IFS, I saw it as my chance to educate a group of students who I envisaged would be just like my brother, and ultimately that is how it has been. Growing up on the sideline of a football pitch with a brother who uses more hair product than I ever have, has given me the skill set to be able to build a rapport with my students that I feel to be of the utmost benefit.
My many years as the sister of a footballer has given me awareness of names such as Ronaldo, Beckham, Ibrahimovic, Rooney and Messi just to name a few. I know what it means to play 4, 4, 2 and the importance of practicing day in and day out to hit the crossbar or top left hand corner. I have counted the tens of thousands of juggles and stood outside as the sun went down in order to perfect ’round the world’ one more time. All this knowledge that in any other context would be deemed unnecessary has allowed me to connect with my students on a new level.
I’m not going to tell you that I know what it takes to make it, because personally I don’t. But, from the years I have spent watching my brother I can tell you that it takes discipline, it takes dedication and it takes sacrifice. Whilst everyone else was inside playing xbox or spending their summers surfing or at the beach, Adam was at the park with a ball at his feet and his poor uncoordinated sister in goals. Not only because he wanted to be the best, but also because he loved it.
Football has always played such an important role in our family and now being a teacher at IFS, it continues to play an important role in my life. Without my brother and his love for football I would not be the person I am today and in turn I would not be a teacher at IFS. So, to my little brother, I say congratulations, you made it and thank you for allowing me to share in your passion.
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