By Casey OÇonnor
Stanthorpe brother and sister Mel and Jack Reedy have their feet on the rungs to international football stardom with Mel signed to Liverpool FC Ladies side and her younger brother about to be part of the Steven Gerrard Academy.
Chris and Tamara Reedy and children Mel and Jack are no strangers to international travel however they all agree the family is about to become a whole lot more familiar with it after a recent trip to the UK.
“Jack and Melissa were part of a 40 strong group (but only 12 players) who travelled to the UK in September as some of the best and most talented young Footballers in the country,” a very proud Chris said.
“They had the opportunity to train and play for a possible scholarship with one of a number of leading football academies in England.
“Both Jack and Mel impressed the talent scouts and received several offers,” Chris said adding 15-year- old Jack has accepted a scholarship to the prestigious Steven Gerrard Academy in Liverpool and will relocate to the UK early in the New Year where he will play train and finish his schooling before going on to University.
His sister Melanie trained and played with Liverpool FC’s first Ladies and has been successful in earning a place in their squad.
Unlike her younger sibling Melanie must wait until she has completed year 12 at Stanthorpe State High before heading to the UK to play. It is a requirements of the UK Ladies system that you must be 18 to sign a Ladies contract.
Mel will head to the UK with the family in January and train and play before returning to Stanthorpe to begin Year 12.
Amazingly neither one of the two has ever been chosen in a representative squad but have been playing football since they were very young children.
After showing talent, they trained with Tim Gaske’s Southern Downs football Academy in Warwick before joining Toowoomba Thunder to play in the NPL for two years.
Both moved on to Brisbane City where they currently play.
The family spends around 36 hours a week on the road travelling to Brisbane and or the Gold Coast for games and training. Sometimes as often as four to five times a week. Often training and games are not in the same place for both kids and Mum Tamara and Mel will head off in one direction and Chris and Jack in another making to back home to Stanthorpe in the wee hours to start it all again.
Tamara says although it is tedious it has been good training for the youngsters. “Just because you have to travel to Brisbane from Stanthorpe is no excuse for being late or missing training. “If you’re late or don’t turn up to training you simply don’t play.”
Jack who is a Striker currently works with a group of four to five different coaches putting him through his paces. Working on his game; tactics ; recognising opportunity as well as fitness diet and more.
Living in the country has also taught both players how to identify getting the best out of themselves and being able to work had on fitness and other aspects of the game. Remotely studying videos and analysing their games which will be of great benefit to them as they enter an even more professional arena.
In short while both Reedy kids have a remarkable opportunity in front of them it has not come without sacrifice hard work and the support of their amazing parents.
When jack joins the Steve Gerrard Academy, he will be one of 100 kids all with the same ambition. The Academy has eight elite under 15 teams and to earn a spot in the top team you need to show resilience , courage and tenacity as well as talent.
Jack is a young man who possess those qualities in spades as does his sister.
The opportunities that await Jack and Mel are immense and the hard work has just begun.
Jack cannot contemplate being anything other than a professional footballer. While his eyes are on the biggest and best teams, he says he would love the opportunity to play in the European leagues.
Jack and Mel have some solid Football heritage to fall back on their great great grandfather was Mr E A Rogers who was responsible for bringing the round ball game to Stanthorpe.
Now his descendants are hoping to put Stanthorpe on the world stage.
For Mel patience is required. For Jack the world is his oyster. It will come down to fate, hard work and hopefully not too much homesickness for this plucky 15 year old in the coming months and years.
