It is sometimes said in the Americas
that Canada
works better in practice than it does in theory. A jet-lagged recruit arrived at Merrimac Oval last night for a run with the Cats and gave credence to just that. Scott Fleming, who celebrates his eighteenth birthday today 15 Feb - although he is now some 13 hours ahead of his birth time - has arrived with Dad Roy and one of his sisters (unattached), to have a crack at Aussie Rules, and his practice is better than you might theorise.
Former Broadie identity, Greg Everett, International Liaison officer, for the Canadian National Australian Football Team, is just one of many who has assisted Scott and family in his quest to emulate and better the deeds of the 10 Flemings who have preceeded him in VFL/AFL ranks.
Our spies in Canada report that Scott got involved with AFL in grade 7 age 13. He was one of the original players in the North Delta Junior AFL. He was a natural from the beginning. Easily the best junior from day 1. He played metro soccer until last year which is the highest level of soccer before you go to junior national level. Additionally he played basketball at the high school level before he quit to concentrate of AFL. He has also played high school and club level volleyball up till he left for Australia. Started playing for the Cougars (a representative side) at age 15 but was training with them from age 14. He went to LA with the NDJAFL Swans at age 15.
Scott is continuing the Canuk connection to Broadie that
commenced with Dave Emblem's son Jackson. Dave is a long time Gold Coaster expatriate Canadian from Montreal, and former Captain of Australia's Ice Hockey team, and current manager of the Gold Coast Blue Tongues, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Blue_Tongues
- a member of the Australian National (ice) Hockey League). He is a footy club sponsor and keen supporter of Jackson who is looking frightening at training, especially with the gloves on, and promises to be a key player with the Cats this year.
Dad Roy reckons Scott is 6 feet four and 185 pounds (he is not into the metrics yet), and is a more than handy full forward back home in
the AFL Delta Junior League in Vancouver, BC.. The League commenced some 6 years ago with 35 participants and today boasts some 200 competition players. (http://bcfooty.com/press_articles/juniors_article.htm)
Indeed
Canada
is an active member of the Aussie Rules International Football Federation and participated with some success at the 2005 international Cup in
Melbourne. Team
Canada, known as the North Wind (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwind), and of course wearing Canadian colours of Red and White, was adopted by the swannies at the Cup in 2005. Scott will be representing the "Wind" in this year's international Cup to be played in August in
Melbourne. No guesses as to who the Flemings
will support in the AFL - and rightly so.
While Scott's sporting background includes Soccer, Basketball (and Golf), unlike most Canuks it does not extend to Hockey (of the slippery variety), at least not as an upright heavy on skates.
Although hockey is a compulsory spectator
interest and we imagine the Blue Tongues crowd has just increased by three!
Roy has quickly found a product at the Broadie bar similar to his favourite beverage at the
Granville
Island,
Vancouver brewery and has settled in for the duration although he has yet to meet up with Rolly and GA. Welcome to the
Flemings and we look forward to Scott making his mark in our great game in the AFLQ. Wonder what his nickname will be?
Last Modified on 27/11/2008 10:27
