A YOUNG goalkeeper is heading overseas to pursue his dream to be a professional athlete after impressing scouts at trials in Melbourne.
Talented 17-year-old Lleyton Pain is showing the world that he could be a keeper if given the chance, so far doing everything right while juggling many of life’s responsibilities to make it into the Global Football Academy which is located in the United Kingdom.
With five goalkeepers at the Melbourne trials, the rangy goalkeeper was the only one selected and will join another promising young goalkeeper from Sydney to head over to London in November.
“I had a good three days of trials, last day was games and I felt like I did really well,” Pain said.
“It was good because there was goalkeeper training, I’ve done it before where you train with the strikers and you’re not keeping up with a striker, so this time it was good because the academy had one of their goalie’s come over and analyse us.”
Since he was six years old, Pain has played at the local soccer club Mildura City out at Kenny Park, the place where he first developed a passion for the sport.
At the age of 13 he first gained selection to represent Victoria and has been a regular feature at the state level ever since.
Understandably, Pain’s ambitions revolved primarily around going as far with his soccer as possible and what better place to start than the UK where he will be given the opportunity to play against some of the best talent across Europe.
“They train you just like they do a professional athlete,” he said.
“It’s a six-month trip at this stage, but I’m aiming to not come back.”
In order to fund his trip, which will be a minimum of six months, the Mildura Senior College student said that he has had to maintain a busy schedule.
“On weekends I play soccer, work as a waiter, pick and sell oranges and sell my own clothing brand,” he said.
“I’m working like crazy to help support my parents with the cost of participating in this academy.”
Donations to Lleyton’s trip can be made here.
