Winner has magic time

02Jul08

Balmain District Football Club's junior players at their training session with Manchester United coaches at Birchgrove Oval on Monday.

MANCHESTER United sprinkled its stardust over Birchgrove Oval on Monday night.

About 30 budding young Beckhams gathered excitedly at the oval on Monday to learn how to boot it like the best from the famous club's soccer school coaches.

One of Balmain District Football Club's junior players, 10-year-old Daniel Heaslip, won the training session with the professionals in the AIG Soccer4Kids competition.

Daniel's video entry featured him and his mates playing soccer and re-creating famous scenes. Balmain District Football Club secretary Richard Klipin said the training session was sensational.

"All of us kids grew up either loving or hating Man United," Mr Klipin said. "For the little kids this was pretty starry-eyed stuff. Having some of the stardust of Man United come to town was pretty exciting."

The two coaches gave the Balmain juniors Manchester United T-shirts and drilled them in passing, one on one and shooting. Mr Klipin said the young players had worked hard, stayed disciplined and listened.

"All the kids were on they were more excited than normal," he said. "Any time a kid can have a laugh, win a competition and invite 30 of his mates along and it's with the biggest sporting club in the world it's pretty well set up for a good time."

Improving the boys' technique was a bonus, he said.

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