By JARROD POTTER
SQUEEZING another achievement onto an already impressive junior football resume, Haileybury footballer Gianluca Cappiello has earned his first Victorian representative guernsey.
It is little wonder Cappiello, 14, from Mount Waverley, was selected in the School Sport Victoria under-16 football team considering what sits on his trophy shelf.
Six junior best and fairest awards, two league best and fairest trophies, interleague honours and a pair of grand-final best on ground medals in premiership victories for the Oakleigh Dragons in the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL), highlight the young midfielder’s talent.
Even with that background of success, his selection for the School Sport Victoria squad is his crowning achievement so far.
“I was selected as part of the last 60 and played a match between Vic Metro and Country,” Cappiello said.
“After that the selectors rang me up on the phone and told me that I made it… it was one of the best feelings.
“I was relieved – it was the best thing I’ve got picked for so far.”
Cappiello and the School Sport Victoria team head to Sydney from 19-26 July and the young midfielder/forward wants to showcase his skills and hopefully bring back the championship victory.
“Try and play my best and show my best for the coaches and all the selectors when they come down… show them, for my size, what I can do,” Cappiello said.
“Just want to knock off the championship – we usually win it every year so another one would be good.”
It is his first year at Haileybury College and he has already secured his place on the school’s first football team as its youngest current player.
This will be Cappiello’s last year in club football – playing currently at Beaumaris – before he focuses on school football and region representative duties with the Oakleigh Chargers.
