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Casey-Cardinia’s soccer-loving students at Hope Australia Soccer Academy have received a much-needed shot of inspiration when they were treated to an online party featuring an international soccer hero.
Living in lockdown conditions has been a challenge for HASA’s students, a non-profit soccer program for children aged seven to 18, who have been keen to get back on the field playing their beloved game.
The online party began with students receiving balloons and masks in the mail that they could decorate and a program involving an emcee, trivia and a skills show.
But the highlight was access to Afghan national soccer player Zelfy Nazary, who made his international debut for his birth country when he played against Palestine in August 2018.
Nazary, who is more used to fielding questions from the media than from children and teens, said he found the experience of engaging with the students personally enriching.
“It was good to tell them my story and how I got to where I am today. I really enjoyed talking to the students and answering their questions,” the midfielder said, who currently plays for Dandenong Thunder SC.
“A lot of the kids come from the same background as I did as a refugee. There are a lot of struggles when you come to a country like Australia, and you see the potential for where you could end up if you worked hard and had the desire to succeed,” he said.
HASA student Zabi Mohammadi, 15, said the experience of meeting Nazary at the party was special and was able to relate to his inspiring story, having grown up playing in the streets of Afghanistan, kicking water bottles like soccer balls on the way to school.
Another highlight of the party was when Brazilian World Cup player and HASA guest coach Mineiro surprised the students, appearing with his son Juan to perform soccer tricks, including a blindfolded juggling act.
Nazary encouraged the students to stay active during this lockdown period.
“The conditions are hard at the moment and we’re all going through the same thing,” he said. “But if you love soccer you will find reasons and the space to keep training. You can jog, push yourself against a wall or do sit-ups to make yourself stronger. When this is over you want to be better than who you were before physically and mentally, which will help you become a better soccer player”.
More than 40 percent of HASA students are from Afghanistan with many other migrant communities represented including Sudan, Iraq and Pakistan.
