Daniel McDougal in his Central Federation football gear, left for Sydney at the weekend.
Daniel McDougal in his Central Federation football gear, left for Sydney at the weekend.
Talent, ambition and a lot of hard work have come together to have promising young footballer Daniel McDougal winging his way across the Tasman to play.
Daniel has been playing for his Hokowhitu Football Club for three years, with his parents taking him from Dannevirke to practices at Ashhurst Tuesdaysand Thursdays - both a time and financial commitment.
It has paid off, because Daniel has been a regular in the age group Manawatu teams.
From there he was nominated by his Manawatu Under 12 coach to trial for the Central Zone Federation Under 12 team in December last year. Forty-two players were nominated from Wanganui, Manawatu, Taranaki, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, and Daniel was one of nine from Manawatu to make the 18-strong squad.
Practices on a Sunday once a month scattered about the region and practice games against Wellington teams have followed.
On Saturday July 8 Daniel and the team of 14 left for a tournament in Sydney where it will play six games over three days. The McDougal family decided to stay on in Sydney for the rest of the week but Daniel has to be back to join a Phoenix Pathway training camp on Thursday and Friday in the last week of the holidays which will be taken by two of the Phoenix coaches.
After that Daniel will be training in the Manawatu Under 13 squad with games against Wanganui, Wellington and Taranaki.
