TALENTED Port Macquarie footballer Angus Thurgate has taken the next step towards a dream career in the sport.
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Thurgate has been again selected in the under 15s Emerging Jets squad, and will continue to travel to Newcastle three times a week to play under the watchful eyes of Gary van Egmond and Taylor Regan.
Van Egmond is a former Newcastle Jets coach while Regan plays in defence for the A League team. “They know a lot about the game,” Thurgate said.
Thurgate and the team will play in the National Premier League in the under 17s position.
“It’s going to be pretty hard,” Thurgate said. “They’re pretty big.”
Alongside Thurgate in the squad are fellow Port Macquarie products Riley Smith and Lachlan Watson. Smith and Watson have moved to Newcastle.
Thurgate and co’s talent has been identified by Jets staff who were on the sideline during last year’s National Premier League.
Thurgate also played for Northern NSW Metro in the under 14s National Championships.
The youngster could make another leap forward shortly. He’s off to Canberra to trial for a place in the national under 16s team.
He’ll be put through his paces in the camp at the Australian Institute of Sport.
“It would be great to make that side,” he said. “But it will be pretty hard.”
Thurgate’s father Brett is responsible for taking him to training and matches three times per week in Newcastle.
A year 10 student at Mackillop College’s St Paul’s Campus, Thurgate makes the most of the travelling time by studying in the car.
It could all pay off one day. Thurgate dreams of playing for Australia, and Newcastle in the English Premier League.
He’s also a talented cricketer, but Thurgate has stopped smashing balls in the centre of the wicket in favour of playing football.
The central midfielder directs play for the team, and he’s got a killer right foot.
