Local lad covers plenty of ground

ROAMING MIDFIELDER: Cameron Hansford

It's already been another full-on year of football for Cameron Hansford and it's far from over yet.

With the domestic season completed, the 12-year-old from Kaitaia is preparing to make his representative debut for the Northland team heading to Cambridge to contest the annual Weir Rosebowl tournament in Cambridge next month.

Another major highlight for the attacking midfielder - who has played for Pompallier Catholic School sides in the Kaitaia junior competition since he was four-years-old - was receiving a letter last month inviting him to trial out for the National Talent Centre camp.

Having honed his skills by taking part in the Tu Kaha Football Academy sessions over the past few years, Hansford found himself amongst a field of approximately 50 kids in his age group at the trials. He eventually missed out on selection to the NTC although selectors indicated they were interested in taking another look at him in April next year.

There was more good news last week when Hansford was picked as the only male player from the Kaitaia association to make the Northland squad contesting the boys' title of the upcoming Weir Rosebowl. Other players from the Far North featuring in the Shaun Hacker-coached Northland rep side include Noah Hislop (Kerikeri) and Reuben Birch (Russell).

KUAFC was also able to celebrate having a record three players named in the Kezia Ford-coached Weir Rosebowl girls' team being Keelay McDonald, Jayde Florian and Brydie Harrison where they will join two Kerikeri FC girls, Kelle Roberts and Dylen Kingi.

This year Cameron has regularly had to go to Waipapa and Whangarei for training with the Northern Football Federation Talent centre, as well as participating in a various Coerver Coaching NZ tournaments in Auckland. The tyranny of distance was an obstacle which must be overcome by any player from Kaitaia wanting to progress to higher levels.

Mum Sheryl who has driven her son to most of these various tournaments and training sessions over the past couple of years said travelling had simply become part of the pair's routine, and the task was often shared around by other Kaitaia footballing parents.

"Travelling to soccer will always be in the picture for Cameron now as next year he will trial for the North Force squad that plays in the Auckland league. And if he continues to progress and makes it into the nationals, the travel will no doubt extend to training in Auckland so going to Kerikeri will seem like a breeze!" Sheryl said.

"This travelling aspect really just shows how dedicated the kids from Kaitaia are

as it means time off school, where they often have to complete school work in their own time and they do get tired getting home at 9pm. Cameron's teacher Mr MacDonald is awesome at keeping him up to date with any schoolwork he misses so that takes a lot of stress off us. If his school didn't support him he wouldn't be able to any of the travel."

The Weir Rosebowl which been run annually for over 50 years is being held at Cambridge from October 5-7. The annual under-12 tournament is contested by teams from within New Zealand's three northernmost federations: Waikato/ Bay of Plenty, Auckland and Northern. Northland is one of three regions represented through eight teams (four each in boys' and girls' divisions; with other Northern Football Federation sides representing North Harbour and Waitakere.