Benji Hawkins selected for Vic Country's FFA National Championships side

The 15-year-old Port Fairy resident was recently selected in Vic Country's side for the upcoming Football Federation Australia (FFA) National Futsal Championships in Sydney in January.

The selection is a step in the right direction for the promising youngster, who was born in the southern English town of Reading before his family moved closer to members of his family in Australia.

"I hope to play any sort of professional football but I maybe even NPL (National Premier League) if I can't get there," the Emmanuel College student said.

Hawkins lives and breathes soccer, which often gets on the nerves of his mother Agostina.

"I get in trouble a bit from mum for kicking the ball around the house," the Warrnambool Rangers under 17 player said.

"She just doesn't like balls in the house even if it's just a bit of dribbling and keep up.

"Dad sometimes goes in goals, as we have some in the backyard, when we play outside."

The Southampton F.C supporter, who is eager to play for England on the international stage, keeps a close eye on the English Premier League and named Manchester City duo Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne as players he takes inspiration from.

"Sterling is a very god dribbler and De Bruyne is just so good at passing," the right footer said.

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Hawkins said he was still adjusting to playing futsal - which is a variant of soccer played between two teams of five players on a hard court, smaller than a normal pitch, and mainly indoors.

"It's difficult because it's my first year but I am learning," the humble rising star said. "(Emmanuel College soccer academy coach) Tim (White) started futsal at the Emmanuel Centre and he asked if we wanted to play it and so I went up and tried it. I had never thought about playing it."

Tim White, who has coached Hawkins for close to six years, said futsal was good for the young midfielder's development.

"We need futsal for that technical growth because they don't get enough touches in a proper game," he said of the decision to alter the sqaud's training.

"We want them to play in a particular way and get used to taking people on and being comfortable with it. To start futsal it was more for their development and a bit of fitness as well.

"It has eventually come off well for a whole bunch of the guys."

White said Hawkins' selection would give him a lot of confidence in his abilities.

"He is very humble and a lot of the time he doesn't rate himself as well as he should and he is extremely reliable," he said

"So hopefully it starts that recognition for him and he starts realising he has got potential and he is quite a talented and quality player.

"With Benji we are working really hard to get him a professional career out of football. So hoping he can at least he can hit the lower levels overseas."

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