Several months ago the NDSL began the process of selecting players for their trials for their U11 Academy squad. This squad will represent the league in various national and international tournaments over the next 2 years.
Having attended one of Ash Utd's 11 Premier games, Jack O'Connor (11 Premier), along with 3 other players were asked to attend the subsequent trials which were run over 3 weeks. In total there were approximately 150 players on trial for a final squad of 40. Jack, along with his team mates went to these trials every Monday and were under the watchful eyes of the NDSL coaches who had the unenvieable task of selecting the squad from such a vast number of players.
All our players conducted themselves very well and did the club proud. After a short week the selection process began and the waiting game was well and trully on. Then on Friday Nov 8th, we received notification from the league that Jack had been selected for the squad. Ironically this came around the same time as his birthday so double celebrations were the order of the day.
While it was disappointing for Jack's team mates not to make the squad, they were all very happy for him and will support him as he represents his team and indeed his club in this fantastic journey.
Jack has been with the club since U8s and has always had that something 'extra' to his game. Under the guidance of Damien Jameson, Jack was always a very solid performer and was frequently seeing powering from defence, up the pitch and back then he always had one thing on his mind ........ a big bull toe shot. More often that not, he would find the net. He continued playing for Damien up to U9. At the end of that season, Damien recognised that Jack along with some other players on this squad may benefit from moving up to the 10A squad who were preparing to go 9 aside.
Having settled into his new team, Jack soon became one of the key players and helped us secure runners up in the league, cup semi fianl spot and cup runners up in a summer tournament.
With that season under his belt, he and his team are now playing for Ashbourne Utd. 11 Premier team in a very competitive league. This has, without doubt helped Jack improve his game to no end. It's quite often an overused phrase, but there are genuinely no easy games at this level and himself and his team mates are doing themselves proud. They currently lie in second place with one more league game against the leauge leaders in two weeks time.
Some of Jack's main strengths are his ability to read the game so well and sniff out the danger just in time. For a tall lad, he has incredible footwork and as for his tackling .......... we'll leave the opposition to comment on that but let's say he's broken some hearts with his ability to arrive out of nowhere and deny near certain goal chances.
The club and his team wish Jack all the very best for the exciting times which lie ahead of him. No doubt he will do himself, his family, his team and his club very proud indeed.