By Mark Murray
SANCTUARY Lakes teenager James Jeggo has been included in the Australian Under 17 Joeys soccer squad.
It’s a major boost for the Victorian Institute of Sport scholarship holder in his quest to one day represent his country at the top level.
Jeggo will be involved in the first stage of qualifying for the under 17 World Cup in 2009 if selected in the final squad.
“He came into the scholarship program in November as most of the boys did and he’s making great strides,” VIS head soccer coach Ian Greener said.
“He’s off to a great start and hopefully he will be able to maintain his development.
“He’s a midfield player who can play on the left or right side and is very versatile.
“It is going to be very competitive for final spots in the squads so all of the boys will have to perform.”
The first Joeys camp will be held on 20 July.
Some of the best Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) soccer athletes, including Jeggo, were given an opportunity to represent Australia at under 17 level this week.
Recently appointed national Joeys coach Martyn Crook has assembled a squad of 30 players from across the country, including six from the VIS, to prove their worth at a training camp in Canberra next month.
The VIS players selected were a mixture of 14 and 15-year-olds – Petar Franjic, Kamal Ibrahim, Jeggo, Dado Lokvamcic, Bailey Wright and Teddy Yabio.
The six VIS athletes are members of the 2007 VIS team competing in the Foxtel Cup U21 competition, where they sit second on the ladder after 16 rounds.
Two of the group – Ibrahim and Wright – represented Melbourne Victory last month as part of the A-League champions’ pre-season campaign, while all six have joined in Victory training sessions this year.
