State selection for young footballer

Young footballer Jye Bearman,
left, with state Under 15s coach
Jarrod Read.

AFTER about eight months of trials, 14-year-old Jye Bearman of New Norfolk has recently been selected to represent Tasmania in the state Under 15s football team.

Bearman, who has grown up in the Derwent Valley, played much of his junior football with the NNJFC and after last season's premiership with the New Norfolk Under 16s, the centre man now plays with the Glenorchy Under 18s where he hopes to give himself a chance of being drafted to an AFL team some day.

With his selection in the state team, Bearman will head to Western Australia to play five games with the team which will do battle with the country's best from July 22-29. The trip comes with expenses such as accommodation, airfares and match fees and with just a month until they fly out it doesn't leave much time, so Jye's mum Jeanette Bowerman has set up an online fundraiser to help ease the burden. Interested donors can alternatively phone Jeanette on 0407 233 862.

In the meantime, this young athlete is training three nights a week and every second Saturday with both his Glenorchy and state teams. All the best to you and the team Jye, we will be looking forward to following your matches.

WADE GLEESON