Teenage Sun’s circle of life

Damen Francis

March 15 2014

Shepparton News

When Zac Paraskevas takes to the pitch for Goulburn Valley Suns tonight, his young career will already have come full circle.

The talented midfielder first left Shepparton for Italy in 2008, working his way through the ranks at Serie B club Vicenza Calcio from under-13 to reserves level in three separate stints.

Paraskevas, 19, returned from his most recent trip in 2012, before joining Victorian Premier League club Oakleigh Cannons — the opponent for the Suns’ National Premier Leagues bow at McEwen Reserve tonight.

‘‘Last year was my first year with (Oakleigh) and I played in the reserves team and towards the end of the year I started getting a couple games with the seniors,’’ Paraskevas said.

‘‘I’m excited and nervous, because I’ve got all my friends there at Oakleigh and I’ve got most of my family here and it will be a bit of a grudge match I would say.’’

Paraskevas has moved back to Shepparton and was one of the first players to commit to the new club.

It has been an adjustment after years of independence, but adapting to a different environment is nothing new for him.

‘‘Italy was just a really big eye-opener for me,’’ he said.

‘‘It was a totally different style of play in a foreign country as well, where you don’t really know the language.

‘‘That was probably the hardest thing to master, the language and how they live.

‘‘It was a bit hard, some of them spoke a bit of English here and there, but just enough to scrape by and that was the same with me. I could just get enough info to know what I had to do.’’

However, his soccer profited from the challenging situation.

Paraskevas is confident on the ball and one of the most vocal players on the pitch, despite his tender years.

Technically sound, the attacking midfielder will benefit from having a similarly creative, but much more experienced player alongside him in the final third in ex-A-League player Kristian Sarkies, though he is happy to play anywhere on the pitch.

Suns advisor Melvyn Wilkes is a fan of the slender ball-player and Paraskevas should get plenty of opportunity to push for a regular place in the starting XI.

To be doing so at a state level club in his own backyard is the most exciting part.

‘‘I’ve always been saying to everyone I wish there was a team in the Melbourne league, it would be better for Shepparton to get recognised that we’re not just a bunch of farmers, there is quite a lot of talent here for a country town,’’ Paraskevas said.

‘‘Next year hopefully I can get looked at by a couple clubs from Melbourne or even A-League, but if worse comes to worse I’ll stay here and play for GV Suns or go back to Melbourne and play back at Oakleigh.’’