AFTER a breakout season in Shoalhaven Football in 2018, Vincentia’s Alex Boardman has decided to take on a new challenge in 2019.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Boardman, who scored five goals in 19 appearances for the Seagulls this season, help guided his Huskisson-Vincenita first grade side, who he’s played with since the age of 15, within one game of the Shoalhaven Football grand final.
“Personally I think I had a good year [with Huskisson-Vincenita], but I couldn’t have had the season that I did without the quality players around me,” Boardman said.
“Also I couldn’t have done it without Rob Hawker’s coaching – we concentrated on shape, possession and moving the ball forward quickly.
“These three reasons where the key elements to our game and the reason why we had such a good year and made the finals.
“I also received the Player’s Player Award and it felt pretty good to be respected and voted for by your team mates, especially when they are all good players.”
After consolidating his play with the green and white, Boardman decided he wanted to chase his dreams of playing higher quality football – which has seen him pen a deal with the South Coast Flame for 2019.
This move will see the 21-year-old link up with fellow Shoalhaven products Matt White (Shoalhaven Heads-Berry), Darren Jones (Bomaderry) and Martin Thompson (Culburra) – who all played for the NSW State League side in 2018.
“I had actually thought about trialling for the Flame in 2018 after speaking to Matt White,” Boardman said.
“But Huskisson were looking strong and our team was playing exciting great football, so I decided to stay with the Seagulls.
“I also needed another year to improve my confidence, strength and fitness after an accident.
“Then the opportunity to trial at South Coast Flame for next year came up and I decided to go for it.”
Boardman, who has represented NSW Country during his career as well as being named in the FFA National Junior Championships ‘Australian All-Stars squad’, is thankful he decided to trial, because he quickly impressed the club’s coaches and was offered a spot in the squad.
“As you could imagine, I was pretty happy about getting an opportunity to play for the South Coast Flame FC,” he said.
“The coaches are great and the players are young and very talented.
“It’s a great club to develop my skills further and play at a higher level.”
Ahead of his first season with the Flame, Boardman, who recently helped Nathan Aldridge’s Shoalhaven team win their first ever Southern NSW Branch Championship, is excited to show he belongs at this level of football.
“I am hoping to bring my enthusiastic attitude and energy, towards football and in life, to the table and try and give 110 per cent,” he said.
“I would like to prove that Shoalhaven players can match it with higher level competition.
“With that being said, Matt White played with my brother at a high level when I was only a kid and to be playing in his team at this level is pretty exciting.
“It’s always good to play with guys that come from the same area.
“Overall, my goals for the season are to win as many games as we cam and play as good as football as I can.”