For Year 11 student Anthony Trimboli, soccer has become a very serious business.Anthony is currently part of the Adelaide United Youth squad which is a remarkable achievement for someone so young. He has huge training and playing commitments and must display great discipline to keep up with the demands of his sport whilst balancing study, family life and social activities.
Anthony officially joined Virginia United Soccer Club at the age of seven and played for them until he was eleven. “I started just for fun and eventually grew to love playing the game,” recalls Anthony. “In my first year of playing my coach saw my ability to run very fast and so he put me out on the wing. I was one of the fittest in the team as every day I would run around by myself outside; my sisters were never interested in playing with me. In Under 11s at Virginia I played my first year as a striker and ended up scoring 25 goals. At one game, one of the parents spoke to my Dad about me going to try out for West Adelaide Hellas which was a higher level club. I didn’t want go as I had made very good friends at Virginia. I remember crying when my Dad told me about the trial.”
Anthony did go to the trial despite his initial anxieties and worked his way through the junior grades very quickly. “In 2010 I trialed for the Under 15s for West Adelaide but within less than a month the Under 19s were interested in me and I was only fourteen! I was very scared but I remember scoring a hat trick in my third game for the under 19s and everyone was very shocked at how good a player I was at that young age. I then played one game of Reserves at fourteen and I was the youngest player in South Australia to do this.” That year West Adelaide won the Under 19s Cup Final at Hindmarsh Stadium and Anthony was the club’s highest goal scorer with 25 goals. This year he played Reserves, and was the top goal scorer with 19 goals playing against men. He then went further and played seven games with the First Team at West Adelaide, the highest grade in Federation, and was coached by Ross Aloisi, former Adelaide United captain and Socceroo. “I scored one goal for First Team and was the youngest to do that in South Australian history. I recently signed a contract, keeping me with the First Team of West Adelaide for the next 2 years. Ross Aloisi is the best coach I have had as we have become great friends and he treats me like a professional.”
Adelaide United watched Anthony this year, without him knowing, at many West Adelaide games. “Once I heard this I trained exceptionally hard every day and improved myself as much as I could. One night after training Dad spoke to me about Adelaide United wanting to trial me to go to China to play in a world youth tournament. I played four games for Adelaide United Under 18s and this was also part of my trial. After this they cut me due to my young age, but promised they would speak to me in the future. I did not hear from them for a month and then one day I was told to train at 5pm that night. They informed me that I would be involved in the Adelaide United youth team. I am now, after four months, eligible to play in the Australian National Youth League which consists of Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC and the other Hyundai A League Youth Clubs. I am considered a ‘train-on apprentice’ and in the future may be offered a professional contract with the club.
“I train at least five nights a week, including a game on the weekend. It is very tough as the quality of every player is exceptionally high. I am also the youngest player there, along with Awer, and we play against men. Adelaide United fitness coach, Thomas, took me through the hardest training session of my life in 33 degree heat. It is called ‘football conditioning’ and we do this at least once a week. It consists of many sprints, with no break, constant ladder work, core body work (sit-ups, push ups) and after all that, an hour of non stop game play.
“I have learnt it is not going to be easy to make it to the top with my soccer. It will be very challenging mentally and physically. The physical aspect will probably be the most demanding component of the challenge. I have learnt how to deal with sleep, although I do not get enough, because I have to come home and finish off homework. I have also learnt to believe in my own ability and know that I am there for a reason. The game is exceptionally fast; it is non-stop. We get told to know what you are doing with the ball ten seconds before you even get it! You have to be extremely fit to keep up.”
Anthony has the support of many people in his life, none more so than his father Joe Trimboli. “He transports me everywhere I need to go and never complains. He has given up his weeknights and weekends to take me to training and games. He is always supportive, but never pushes me like many other parents and that’s what I love. My mother Heather always knows when something is wrong and will always be the first to help. She always organises me and reminds me to bring my boots as I always forget things. My sister, Lisa-Marie, orders my boots off the internet, receives and sends out all of my emails from Adelaide United and has provided me with all of my public transport information on the rare days my Dad can’t make it to drop me off at training. Also, Daniella is very proud and supportive of me. Sabena Choufan has helped me get over all the times where I have not played well and she has been an amazing person to talk to. She is an amazing girl and keeps my confidence up. Joe Cavallaro always finds a way to make me feel good about my soccer and he has helped me immensely.”
Anthony finds a way to balance everything because he has no choice but to do his school work. He does this by spending late nights in his room finishing off all his work. “I ask for many extensions and do lots of my work in class. With my social life I am always a happy person so I always take the opportunity to spend time with my friends in school. I try to leave a lot of my homework to a night I don’t have training so I have time to have a life. Relaxation is done by swimming, sleeping and watching soccer. It is extremely hard to balance all these things because I need to try and keep everyone else happy as well as myself.”
On 26 November Anthony is going to Italy with Adelaide Blue Eagles and staying there for three weeks playing many Series A and B teams. “This is going to be amazing and these are going to be some of the best players and teams in Europe. Soccer is a game in which nothing else matters at that time you’re playing. It is where I want to be in years to come and it’s a part of me now.”
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