AS far as Tommy So knows, he’s the only freestyle footballer in Greater Dandenong.
The Keysborough ‘juggler’ has trod a lonely path, teaching himself freestyle football’s sit-downs, air, ground and upper-body moves from YouTube videos as a teenager.
“Personally as a child, my parents couldn’t afford for me to play soccer with a club. I just played socially with my friends at school.”
Now 20, Mr So is among the sport’s top echelon in Oceania, reaching the semis in a recent championship.
His speciality is lying prone and juggling a football with the soles of his feet.
Working as a network relations manager with Oceania Freestyle Football Federation, he’s hoping to bring the niche sport into schools.
“The kids love the sport when they see it. It’s a steep learning curve – you get the basics and then it’s pretty easy from there to pick up the tricks.”
Sport can also be the carrier of social change. Mr So has learnt from experience how prohibitively expensive organised sport can be.
His ultimate ambition also wants to help disadvantaged students pursue their sporting dreams and develop “back-up” skills outside of sport such as public speaking.
“My message for others is if you choose to follow your dreams, you have to have a back-up if it fails.”
In other words, you’ve got to be good at keeping the ball in the air.
