Photo: Ben Hamlett after Tuesday's game against Central Coast Mariners [PlessPix]
Ben Hamlett, the 18-year-old Clarence United striker, left for the United States on Wednesday to take up a sports scholarship at Mountain State University in West Virginia.
“The scholarship will enable me to play soccer and to study,” said Hamlett, who came on as a substitute for Tasmania against Central Coast Mariners at KGV Park on Tuesday night.
Hamlett scored twice for Clarence last Saturday as they beat Burnie United 4-3 away to qualify for the final of the Milan Lakoseljac Memorial Trophy.
He is Clarence’s top scorer in the league with 11 goals, which makes him equal third on the Premier League goalscoring chart, and so will be missed by the Eastern Shore outfit.
“We’ll be training twice a day, five days a week, and playing twice a week, so this is the next step in my career,” Hamlett said.
“I’ll come back, maybe, after a couple of years, but you never know because after the four years, if you’re good enough, you are put in the draft for the MLS.
“Hopefully, I’ll make that.”
Tasmanian fans will watch Hamlett’s progress with great interest as he is a product of the State development programme.
5 comments:
well done mate, hope you make it big time! :)
Good luck Benny , you deserve the chance , hope it all works out well .
well done to you, abbott and walker..hopefully you could make it and help grow football in Tassie.
these kids got no clarence or tis or south hobart strips these guys represent tassie flag. make us proud! Walter please keep us up to date with their development.
Walter, did beachsides Nick Gibson do the US thing a few years back? I vaguely remember him heading overseas. What came of that? Perhaps some info would help Ben out.
Not sure if Gibbo ever got over there. Playing with him at the time i remember him planning on going but cant remember if he ever did or not. Lauren Barnes formaly of nelson women's team went earlier this year to the US on a scholarship much like ben's and is doing well.
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