By ROY WARD
KEYSBOROUGH teenager Tommy So fell in love with doing tricks with the soccer ball when he watched Brazilian star Ronaldinho in a YouTube video.
He started practising different tricks and showing them off to his mates, a move which led him to make a couple of short internet videos of his own.
Then the 18 year old found he could enter competitions and have his tricks judged against other tricksters.
Later this month So will compete in the Oceania Freestyle football championships on the Gold Coast.
The championships see each competitor given between 30 seconds and one minute to perform a routine of soccer juggling tricks.
Judges then decide the winners of each round, the competitors being given 30 seconds in early rounds and more time for longer routines in the later rounds.
So, who is studying for an arts degree at the University of Melbourne, said he loved the chance to “battle” fellow competitors. “My first competition was fun. I didn’t end up winning but was much better for experiencing it.”
So said the Gold Coast competition, which starts on November 24, would be the first ever Oceania championships and would feature some high-level competition.
He has also joined a crew of fellow freestyle players, who call themselves Trickstar.
The crew performed during half-time of the recent A-League soccer match between Melbourne Heart and Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park.
For So, it was a chance to perform in front of a big crowd.
“Our last show was a half-time in that A-League match. It was a lot of fun. Kids came up to us after we performed and were asking about it. I really liked the whole experience.”
So is also involved in a freestyle football coaching program called Own the Ball.
More information is available at trickstarfootball.com.
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