Schiller selectedAFTER playing representative football for the past three years, 16-year-old Patrick Schiller, has realised every rugby league player’s dream having been selected in the Canberra Raiders under 18s side.
Schiller was scouted while playing in a representative game in Wagga and was later invited to an in-house trial along with about 90 others.
Forty players were called back and then a squad of 20, including Schiller, were selected for the under 18s Canberra Raiders SG Ball National Competition.
Training for the squad will begin next week with Schiller required to travel to Canberra three times a week to fulfil a strict training regime. He knows what he is up for - having already had a stint training with the NRL first grade Canberra Raiders side last year
“Playing for the under 18s Canberra Raiders is physically more demanding and is a big step up because I am only 16, it is a higher level of football and I need to be really committed,” a pumped Schiller said.
“It’s a higher level of football, you have to be committed. I have had to focus on time management, discipline and training harder since being selected,” he said.
Future hopes for Schiller include being selected for the under 20s Canberra Raiders and eventually to get a guernsey in the first grade Canberra Raiders side.
Schiller has been playing football since he was seven-years-old and acknowledged the considerable help and support the Cherrypickers has given him.
“Mum and Dad and my Pop have been huge supporters as well as Roy Jewitt who has taught me a lot as my personal trainer,” Schiller said.
Source: The Young Witness
Topic: Schiller selected
