Dubbo College student, Riley Bond, is finally back home after representing NSW Country at the National Youth Championships in Wollongong during the school holidays. It was his second year representing at these titles and the team was runner-up after playing on the famous WIN Stadium.

Futsal is another form of football, but played on a hardcourt like netball or basketball, and indoors, with many similarities to soccer. Only five players are on each team, who play with a smaller, harder ball with a lower bounce on a court bounded by lines.

Riley’s impressive sporting CV also now includes last year’s Championships (finished fifth), being part of the Western NSW Football Club’s Under 14s Minor Premiers, and Runners -p in the Association Youth League (AYL) competition that includes all the metropolitan and coastal clubs.

Riley scored 30 goals in 25 games in the AYL 14s as well as five goals in the 15s. He scored the winning penalty in the Shootout in the 15s Grand Final and also stepped-up to the 16s to compete against an older cohort.

The talented striker played his part in the Dubbo College Opens Team this year, and was selected in Western NSW Open CHS (Under 19s) team. Riley was named Western NSW player of the tournament at the State championships in Coffs Harbour, and was invited to trial for the NSW CHS 16s.

Sports Convenor and Astley Cup Coordinator at Dubbo College, Craig May says he cannot remember a 14-year-old player (Year Nine student), ever being selected in the Opens Western NSW team, let alone to win the Player of the Tournament.

Like so many of our rising stars, Riley — and his Mum and Dad — travel around 1000km per week for training and games. The base for AYL is in Bathurst ,and there are also regular trips to Sydney for matches and rep training.