THE second week of the school holidays take on a new dimension for Dubbo district boys Cameron Kopp, Sam Head and Kobe Rapley when they run out for New South Wales Country under-14s in the National Youth Championships at Coffs Harbour today.
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For Sam it will be his second year at the titles, graduating from the under-13s last year while Cameron and Kobe were identified and included in the squad in May and July of this year.
All three played with the Western NSW Mariners in the State Youth League series this season so travelling all the way up to Coffs Harbour wasn't any great concern.
Sam and Kobe are both Dubbo lads and Cameron is from Peak Hill but goes to school at St John's College in Dubbo.
Three other players from the Mariners are also in the Country squad of 16 players - Sam McIllhatton and Sam Smith (Young), and Gerard Roebuck from Lithgow.
The Country under-13s are also lining up again this year with Dubbo's Chris Ying Sing and Nic Railz hoping to enjoy some success in what is acknowledged as a highly competitive carnival that, for some, shapes their soccer careers.
The selection process has been hard work for the boys and their parents who sit behind the steering wheels of their vehicles as the kilometres tick over on a regular basis.
For the Mariners boys it has been something like a 22-week season with matches in Sydney and Bathurst, plus training.
They have also been involved in weekend and week camps as selectors went about deciding on their playing squad.
The latest camp was at Valentine Sports Park when the players were put through a mixture of training sessions and trial games to assist in final selections.
NSW Country under-14s:
Gerard Roebuck, Sam Head, Cameron Kopp, Sam McIllhatton, Kobe Rapley, Samuel Smith (all Western), Thomas Baker, Zach Fattore, Angus Kelly, William Manwaring (Riverina), Tim Hall, Andrew Jones, Brendon Mozak, Harry Sutherland, Dean Watling, Trent Streeter (Southern). Coach: Ben Wright. Assistant coach: Devrim Huseyin.
NSW Country under-13s:
Nathan Doungmanee, Kurtley Golden, Hamish Lamberton, Gez McGarry, Nicholas Railz, Jacob Smede, Malcolm Ward, Chris Ying Sing (all Western), Lachlan Doohan, Tom Hazelton, Jake Trew (Southern), Connor Caponecchia, Hugo Forlico, Morgan Kelly, George Pavese, Quinn McDonagh (Riverina). Coach: Tim Wilson. Assistant coach: Stephen Neligan.
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