| Brendan Hallab is a Registered Player of Australian | | | | Brendan's father Fred is a Retired Police Officer and |
| Football Players and a student at Westfields Sports | | | | his mother Karen must be the busiest, most organized |
| High School. We would like to let you know what a | | | | super mum. Brendan has a brother Luke aged 11 and a |
| typical week consists of for this talented 14 year old | | | | sister Emma aged 7, all of them sports mad! |
| defender and his family. | | | | As parents, obviously you drive him to all the above, |
| Brendan started his high school years at Westfields | | | | how much time/effort is required?Without doubt it is |
| Sports High School in year 7 (2007). | | | | extremely difficult and without Karenit would definitely - |
| Westfields Sports High has a reputation for producing | | | | nearly be impossible. Karen and I must communicate |
| some great sports stars, in particular; Harry Kewell, | | | | on a daily basis to logistically coordinate who is taking |
| Brett Emerton, Danny Vukovic & Mark Bridge to | | | | who and what time does he/she have to be |
| name a few. | | | | somewhere! We as parents are totally committed to |
| So what's it really like to go to school with such a | | | | our kids activities whetherit's at the highest level or not. |
| reputation? Let's have a look at a typical week in | | | | Combining education with sport develops intelligent |
| Brendan's schooling and football life. | | | | athletes. |
| Brendan starts school at 8.48am and finishes at 3.10pm | | | | What is Brendan's ultimate ambition(s)?I hope to make |
| (normal school hours) | | | | it overseas as a professional football player and play |
| There are 2 intense testing sessions per year, one at | | | | with some of the best players around. I would also like |
| the beginning of the year and the other towards the | | | | to achieve good academic results just in case I don't |
| end of year. This testing includes such things as sprints, | | | | make it and I will have something to fall back on. I want |
| beep test etc and the boysreceive a soccer | | | | to keep training hard and work on my weaknesses |
| evaluation result as per their training and testing results | | | | and somedaymaybeI mightachieve my dream. |
| to indicate areas that need attention. | | | | Favourite player? Favourite team? Favourite food? |
| Monday: Brendan does his normal school work and | | | | Favourite TV show?My favourite football playerthat I |
| during the day also trains for 1.45 hours. He also plays | | | | like to watch because of my position would have to |
| his Premier Youth League football at Blacktown City | | | | be John Terry or Rio Ferdinand. But Ialso enjoy |
| Demons under coach Leo Carle. Monday nights he | | | | watching Cristiano Ronaldo's explosiveness and using |
| also trains for over 2 hours with his team. | | | | his fast feet to beat opponents. My favourite team is |
| Tuesday: Brendan trains 1.45 hours before school with | | | | Manchester United.My favourite food is chicken |
| Westfields Sport High. | | | | schnitzel. My favourite TV show is Simpson's. |
| Wednesday: Brendan trains 1 hour before school and | | | | Brendan is also off to China with Westfields Sports |
| does extra work on the bars and after school he | | | | High School as part of his education of other cultures |
| trains with his Premier Youth team for over 2 hours. | | | | and of course to play football. |
| Thursday: Brendan trains 1.45 hours before school and | | | | Below are some impressive playing stats: |
| has the night off. | | | | 2008 Re commences Year 8 Elite Soccer Program |
| Friday: Brendan trains for 1 hour in the swimming pool | | | | for 2008 - Westfield's Sports High School. |
| as part of his own regime after school at Homebush | | | | 2007 Letter of retained for 2008 Blacktown City |
| Aquatic Center and has the night off. | | | | Demons U/14's Premier Youth League. |
| Saturdays is game day for the Blacktown City | | | | 2007 Selected to represent boys U/13's NSW Futsal |
| Demon's defender. | | | | Thunder Team. Football NSW Futsal State National |
| That's a committed 14 year old! Now you know his | | | | Championships. Canberra 7-11 January 2008. |
| schedule. We asked Brendan and his parents some | | | | 2007 Selected to represent Sydney City Eagles - |
| questions to get into the minds of a future professional | | | | Football NSW State Futsal Championships - Condell |
| football player and his parents. | | | | Park Indoor Centre. |
| How important is education to you Brendan? As I am | | | | 2007 Selected to represent Metropolitan West U/13's - |
| getting older I now know that education is very | | | | NSW State Titles, Soccer NSW Albury - Wadonga. |
| important. It would be great to play football at the | | | | 2007 Selected to represent Blacktown City Demons U |
| highest level and get paid lots of money but now I | | | | 13's Premier Youth League. Minor Premiers - Grand |
| understand that I have to try to balance my school | | | | champions. |
| work with my soccer commitments. | | | | 2006 Selected to Enter Year 7 Elite Soccer Program |
| Mum & Dad? As far as my wife Karen and I are | | | | for 2007 - Westfield's Sports High School. |
| concerned education must presides over sport. I can | | | | 2006 Selected to represent Inner West ‘All |
| tell you it was atough call when Brendan was | | | | Stars FC'- Football NSW Futsal Premier League. |
| accepted to Westfield' Sports under the soccer | | | | 2006 Selected to represent Metropolitan West U/12's - |
| program. Brendan's schooling has always been with | | | | NSW State Titles, Soccer NSW. Bathurst. |
| the Catholic education system. Karen and I supported | | | | 2006 Selected to represent NSW CPS Mackillop |
| Brendan's decision to attend on the proviso that his | | | | Boys' Football Team at the State NSW PSSA Boys' |
| school results wouldn't suffer (so he smashed that | | | | Championships. Nelsons Bay 6 - 8 June 2006. |
| theory achieving dux last year) allowing him to continue | | | | 2006 Selected to represent Parramatta Catholic |
| his secondary education at Westfield's Sports to | | | | Diocese. |
| follow his dreamand passionthroughthe correct | | | | 2006 Selected to represent Bankstown U/12's |
| pathway of becoming an elite soccer player. Having | | | | Metropolitan Attack Competition. (Team Captain). |
| played Rugby League myself at an elitehigh level I | | | | 2005 Selected to represent Metropolitan West U/11's - |
| could empathise with Brendan'sgoals and seeing him | | | | NSW State Titles, Soccer NSW. Parkes. |
| go from being a sheep follower in the under 5's | | | | 2005 Selected to participant Regional Excellence |
| (laughs), to developing throughthe ranks with a lot of | | | | Program (R.E.P) - Soccer NSW. |
| hard work and being selectedin most ofall the | | | | 2005 Selected to represent Parramatta Catholic |
| development pathways available, I for one could see | | | | Diocese. |
| the passion in his eyes. He may notbe as flamboyant | | | | 2005 Selected to represent Bankstown U/11's |
| as most buthis commitment, application, dedication,work | | | | Metropolitan Attack Competition. |
| ethics, and brains on the paddock is second to none. | | | | Coerver Sydney Elite Squad. |
| Best part of going to the school Harry Kewell and | | | | We would like to thank Brendan and his parents Fred |
| many socceroos attended?It feels really good to know | | | | and Karen for their honesty and allowing us to |
| that people like Kewell, Emmerton and many others in | | | | document a small piece of their lives to show others |
| a variety of different sportshavebeen to the school | | | | just what it takes to be a great sports person at a |
| that I am at and fulfilled their dreams witha lot of hard | | | | young age. We wish Brendan every success |
| work.I hope to do the same. | | | | academically and in his football. |