SUPERSTARS ON THE WAY TO GLORY

Dreams can come true and for three talented soccer players a dream could become a life changing event this weekend as they take part in the Top 50 Weekend as part of the Fox 8 Reality Television Football Superstar.
Cameron Hart, Callum Ferguson and Thomas Renzi have successfully moved through the Mount Gambier pre trials conducted by the locally based Community Football Development Program The Round Ball, graduated from the Adelaide Road show and now find themselves this weekend on the biggest stage in domestic soccer.
The three boys will by competing against the finest young talent in Australia for a spot in the Final 15 of the Football Superstar Television show and with that comes the 1 in 15 chance of becoming Australia’s next Football Superstar.
The Football Superstar Experiment as Scott Dickson, Director of Football at The Round Ball refers to it, has been an outstanding success with the three boys, their mentors and The Round Ball Program gaining nationwide recognition.
“When we started negotiations with North One TV and Fox 8 we were not even sure if they would grant us permission to run pre-trails, six weeks later we have three local boys in the South Australian Top 10 and are packing to be flown to Melbourne to spend the weekend at the Novotel and train with Ernie Merrick and Melbourne Victory, it is hard to believe” Dickson said.
Hart has dominated local soccer for nearly a decade since shining at his first club The Gambier City Sharks and since moving to Gambier Centrals has risen in stature to become a bonefide star of the local game. Hart has been a stand out at every occasion and has taken out club and association medals as well as been a successful member of the Specialist Soccer Program at Grant High School.
“I would like to thank The Round Ball and particularly Scott and Tom for their help over the years. I would also like to thank Steplen Constructions for putting together the original Sponsorship Package. They have pushed me and over the past few weeks have trained me up to five times a week. I feel good and I am keen to do my best” Cameron said after a recent training session.
“Cameron has always led by example, he is hard as nails and when focussed is a match for any opponent” commented Tom Dickson Senior Sports Director of The Round Ball. “I first met Cameron when he was nine years old through working with his father David at Timbertech and I have tried to help out ever since, Cameron and his family have shown trust in our family and we are delighted to support him through his trials”
Hart has focussed on the challenge at hand and being the eldest of the three has proven to be advantageous for the nineteen year old. “I am a senior player at the club and with no junior matches or carnivals I have been able concentrate on Superstar. I have been training with Scott and the other boys for the past three weeks and this is the fittest I have been in years” Hart added.
Gambier Centrals senior coach Phil Muller is delighted with the success that Hart has had and wished him all the best for the weekend ahead. “On behalf of the club we would like to wish both Cameron and Thomas the very best of luck. We are proud of their achievements and that they are flying the Gambier Centrals flag”

Blue Lake’s Callum Ferguson who has just returned from a holiday on the Gold Coast was born into soccer through the Ferguson family bloodline. His father is Blue Lake senior coach Sam Ferguson and his uncle Lewis is a long serving club legend. Jo Lovett, President of Blue Lake Soccer Club wished Callum all the best “The members, players and committee of Blue Lake Soccer Club wish Callum Ferguson all the best in his “Quest for glory”. Regardless of the outcome he has done himself, his family and his club proud”.
Ferguson continued to train in Queensland under the watchful eye of his father on a program negotiated with Dickson. “Callum has a fantastic competitive spirit, he is very fit and his speed and condition are a huge asset to him. He has played at the highest level representing the state and being part of the South Australian squad that took out the National Championships a few years ago. Despite the fact that he could not train with the other boys for the last fortnight I am confident he will be prepared for the weekend” Dickson commented.
Thomas Renzi was playing Australian Rules Football for North Gambier in the under 12 competition when Scott Dickson discovered his talent. “I am not sure you can say I discovered Thomas, however I am keen to say that I convinced him to turn his hand to soccer for a few years” said Dickson. “When I was coaching the Lower South East SAPSASA squad I asked Thomas to attend and despite not playing soccer at the time I selected him to represent the region and the rest speaks for itself. Thomas is an exceptional sportsman who has represented the region and the state in several sports. The camera loves Renzi, they filmed him a great deal in Adelaide and spent time with his parents and girlfriend so I assume that means he will get a fair share of air time. This weekend though it will not be about Thomas’s hair or that the three of them come from Mount Gambier. Next weekend they will be measured on their football talent and their potential. They are strong tenacious athletes who can mix it up and are keen to succeed the most difficult thing will now be what are they prepared to do to make it through to the next stage? I was talking to Josip Skoko’s brother Ante the other day and he said one of the trials Josip had as a junior was with a boy from Africa whom the village had funded to attend the European trial. They had told him that the village was dying and there was no water, they told him his signing on fee would buy the village a well and provide a lifeline for the African Community. When you stand next to player with so much on the line can our middle class family backgrounds and experience measure up? Next weekend these boys will be put in a similar situation, does one of them have what it takes to be Australia’s next Football Superstar? Who knows? I will tell you on Sunday night” concluded Dickson.