Sacred Heart Central School’s Sam Gash just turned 15 last month and he already has the world at his feet.
For the past year, the Year 9 student living in Cootamundra has kept busy and active, both training and playing for major sides Canberra Raiders and Greater Western Sydney Giants.
Sam also played junior league for the Wagga Kangaroos and junior AFL for Wagga’s Turvey Park Bulldogs.
Sam’s journey for the Raiders began when he saw match trials and junior pathway trials being advertised on the Canberran side’s Facebook page earlier last year.
Upon asking mum Cindy if he could “have a crack at it”, Sam said he would not be disappointed if he did not get it as he was only 13 then. He attended the open trials in October 2019 where a squad of 30 was chosen.
With that number further reduced to 22 players, Sam found out the good news of being picked during a school excursion.
He was set to play for the Canberra Raiders under 16 side in the Harold Matthews Cup.
The season kicked off in February this year and after impressing with 18 points through one try and seven conversions, the season was cut short after just six rounds due to Covid disruptions.
Players were then assigned home and gym workouts to accomplish through a dedicated app, to ensure they maintained strength and fitness.
Besides his love for league football, Sam also had a go at AFL this year having seen many of his good friends play it.
Upon reaching the grand final with Turvey Park Bulldogs under 14s this year, Sam got a call from GWS Giants’ Michael Mazzochi asking if he would be able to travel down to Wagga the next day, to play a game for under 15s Giants.
During that period, Michael Mazzochi was involved in talented player programs with the GWS Giants Academy and had watched Sam play a few times.
The rest of the GWS boys had already been training for two to three month when Sam joined.
This year, being good friends with a lot of the younger Coota footy boys, Sam also trained and coached the Bulldogs under 14 side.
Only being 15 at the moment, Sam said he has big dreams to go professional.
“For now, I am just trying to progress through the ranks in Canberra and earn a contract for the under 21 Raiders and then ultimately first grade,” he said.
“Well.. and then try finish high school along the way too.”
In 2021, young Gash plans to train in Canberra three times a week for the Raiders before the season kicks off mid-February.
There will be nine rounds of games and then finals, Sam is also one of four younger blokes in the under 17 squad.
With a constant demand in travel and school, Sam had to turn down a Giants Academy offer to focus on his goal and represent the Green Machine side.
And it was not hard to see why, given his track record of football in Coota.
Sam Gash started playing league for the Coota Bulldogs when he was eight and went through to under 14s.
He won the best and fairest honours last season and said playing in the Group 9 comp for the past few seasons has been a highlight.
During off-season, Sam can be seen playing touch footy in Wagga and locally on a Thursday for Family Brothers.
Christopher Tan
