Smoky Bay boy Scott Lycett has returned from South Africa where he played in a team of players likely to be in next year’s AFL rookie draft.
Scott, 16, moved to Adelaide at the end of last year and has been playing in the under 18 Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL while attending Henley High School.
He was selected in the Australian Institute of Sport AFL team, which is made up of the 30 players most likely to be drafted into the AFL at the end of 2010.
Scott and the rest of the team went to Canberra and Melbourne for four camps and education sessions as part of the team.
“They taught us how to speak to the media so when we get drafted how to speak to the media and etiquette when we go out to dinner,” Scott said.
“They’ve taught us everything, like (there’s) a nutritionist in the team and even a psychologist. They help us out in every way they can.”
Before going to South Africa, the team played against VFL side Williamstown at the Telstra Dome on April 11 and lost by 100 points.
Scott was still happy to play in such a large venue.
“I thought it was all right playing with the Australian guernsey on,” he said.
“I never thought I’d do that.”
They then flew to South Africa on April 12 and played a game against the South African national side.
“We played one game against South Africa national side and we flogged them,” Scott said, “but it’s just an exhibition match and we went around to all these towns and taught them how to play football.”
Australian football is known as “Footy Wild” in South Africa and is being strongly promoted by the Australian AFL .
Scott said the trip to South Africa was “really eye-opening and life changing”.
“We went around to all the shanty towns and looked in some houses and I guess you don’t know what you’ve got until you see people worse off than you,” he said.
“(I knew) people in South Africa were unfortunate but to go experience it you feel more fortunate about what you have.”
It was Scott’s first time outside of Australia so that was “a good experience to start with”.
The team then went on to play WAFL side Peel Thunder at the Subiaco on April 18, where they won by seven goals.
“Everyone was so happy once we won that game. Everyone in that game will be life long friends now,” Scott said.
Scott is eligible for the rookie draft at the end of next year, when the new Gold Coast team has all the top picks.
“One of the Melbourne teams would be good but any team that wants me I’d go straight away,” Scott said.
He said playing with Thevenard as a junior and against adult men but him in good stead for his future career.
“I want all the kids here to know it’s possible to do the same thing,” he said.
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