Vanessa Hall
Editor
AFTER a year abroad living, breathing and most importantly playing, Max Veivers returned to Coolum recently from his year away in Seville at the Spain Soccer Academy, and Max returned as a year 10 graduate, and winner of the ‘Golden Boot’ award from his football academy for being the top scorer in the U16s.
Max listed many highlights from the year abroad including learning to speak Spanish, and the many great people he met but the pinnacle was of course, football football-related.
“My main highlight was getting signed by my club U.D Tomares.
“We played in the 2nd Division in Andalucía and we won the league and got promoted to Division One for the next season which gives the club opportunities to play all the pro clubs in the 1st Division.”
The constant immersion in the world of soccer was beneficial for Max’s playing which he hopes to make a career of and one which seems now certain due to his hard work and skill.
“It’s crazy how much better the level is over there,” Max stated.
“Whilst I still played at a high level there, it challenged me a lot more than I have ever been challenged in Australia. That’s one of the big reasons I’ve decided to return to Spain next season.”
Mum Angie Dunbaven stated that whilst it was tough to have her only son move to the other side of the world at just 15 the stress and sacrifice have been so worth it for Max’s playing future.
“Max has benefited so much from this last year in Spain,” Angie said.
“He has been able to test himself in a high-level competitive environment and not only held his own but was rewarded with the golden boot from his academy and a contract with one of the best clubs in Sevilla.
“It’s built his confidence in his ability and continued to fuel his passion for football and getting through Year 10 in a Spanish public school was one of the biggest challenges and he had to learn to speak Spanish quickly through immersion, trial and error.
There was also the challenge of living somewhere very, very different to little coastal Coolum.
“Living out of home for the first time in a big European city was also an experience in and of itself – the culture, the food, the public transport system are very different to Coolum.”
Max is now home in Coolum for the European summer before heading back to Spain at the end of August for the next football season.
“Max’s football future is looking very bright and he’s ticking off his goals,” Mum Angie said.
“He hopes to get a call-up to the Joeys one day so that he can represent Australia.”
Basing himself in Spain for the past year and the next is proving quite the pedigree for Max and his career ambitions, with the Spanish national team coming away as winners of the UEFA European Football Championships (Euros) earlier this week.
Spain has a proud, successful and illustrious football history, one which can only serve as the perfect springboard for a long career as a professional player.
As for Max, he is already looking forward to what the next season will bring.
“Although I’m 15 this season I have accepted an offer to play in Juvenil (u19s) at Tomares which will test me more physically and mentally.
“I’m looking forward to going back, and I’m excited for the season ahead.”