Courtesy: Penrith City Star


Futsal star selected for Australian team

by Justin Brady

Nov. 7, 2012

THROUGH preventing goals, Rick Seymour has achieved one of his own.

A skilled cricketer, basketballer and softballer, Seymour shifted his focus to futsal in January when he was chosen on the NSW Thunder side for the National Futsal Championships in Canberra.

Having emerged as a fierce goalkeeper, the Penrith Valley Sports Foundation Senior Sportstar of the Month for October was selected onto the Australian Crocs AWD futsal team who are currently in the midst of a World Cup campaign in France.

"I've always wanted to represent Australia and do my own country proud," Seymour said.

"It's been one of my goals since 2000 - when I was 10 years old, I watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Sydney on TV- so it's taken me 12 years but now I've got it."

Surviving many culls to be selected on the 10-man squad, Seymour's inclusion meant he would join Australia in playing against teams from countries including France, Iran, Hungry, Poland and Czechoslovakia. "It's going to be very, very tough but I cannot wait to go," the 22-year-old said the day before his departure.

"I am a little intimated because I don't kow how they'll play but I'm hoping we do play well, and to win would be a dream come true."

When Seymour first jogged on to the futsal court, he was eyeing no more than a fun time... the whirlwind journey that followed took him by surprise.

"I thought it'd just be a muck around but now I'm like, wow," he said.

"Meeting new people, playing a sport I love — it's a great feeling and plus representing your state and country and giving back; that's what I like."

As an Emu Plains resident of many sporting talents, Seymour represented the Open Men's NSW AWD indoor cricket team in 2010 and Open Men's NSW AWD basketball team last year.

"If netball or volleyball pops up and I'm game, I don't mind doing it," he said.

"I love all sports — I'm a sports addict."

- Rick has won $800, courtesy of the PVSF Senior Sportstar of the Month sponsor, Penrith Panthers. Nominations: pvsf.org.au.






Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com