Trent Buhagiar’s success story from the International Football School is well documented but you can be rest assured that it won’t be their last. The next prospect to be given a chance with the Central Coast Mariners is 17-year-old Cooper Buswell.
Buswell is one of the young prospects in our Foxtel National Youth League outfit and a student at the International Football School (IFS). The IFS program is Modeled on the best youth academies in Europe and is an integrated, holistic, age specific program aimed at optimum player development.
Staring down the barrel of 12 months that includes a Higher School Certificate, semi-professional football and a near full time training load it is the support of the International Football School that will help Buswell succeed.
At 17-years-of-age Buswell faces a similar run of challenges that Buhagiar faced this time last year. Conquering his studies, progressing as a footballer and finding time to be a normal teenager growing up on the Central Coast.
Known for his quick feet and tall stature, Buswell is one of Ben Cahn’s youngest players in the Foxtel National Youth League squad.
Buswell thanked the International Football School for their support in helping him balance education with football and says that his goal is to break into the Foxtel National Youth League’s first 11.
“Coming into the Foxtel National Youth League team has been a great experience,” Buswell said. “We’re training every morning which is hard work but I feel like I’m improving and developing which is the main thing.
“ IFS have been fantastic especially with how much we’ve been training and they really help me balance it all out, it is a great place to be.
“Trent [Buhagiar] and I were close when we were both at IFS and having him there as support is great and one day I hope to follow in his footsteps. “Over the next 12 months I just want to strive for my best, I really want to pitch myself for a starting spot in the NYL team and then one day develop into the A-League,” Buswell.
As one of the youngest contracted Foxtel National Youth League players at the club, Buswell has several seasons to break into the squad and Cahn says he needs to be patient.
“Cooper is very good technically,” Cahn said. “He is very versatile, can play a number of positions and the next few years for him is about working out where he can be most effective.
“He’s a very good talent, has a great physical advantage that will suit him to certain aspects of the game. The opportunities are limitless for him but it comes down to how hard he wants to work.
Cahn also credited the International Football School for their contribution to developing the next crop of young footballers on the Central Coast.
“The International Football School is an excellent initiative started by Paul Chapman and it’s something that I wish I had as a young player,” Cahn said. “The Mariners as a club are able to benefit from our partnership and association with IFS and many of our academy players attend the IFS and we are now starting to see the rewards of that with players like Trent Buhagiar, Cooper Buswell as well as Liam Wilson in the 20s and Kyle Johnson in the 18s.
“Balancing studies and football is a huge, the knowledge gained on the football pitch and in the classroom go hand in hand so it’s really important for young players to broaden their knowledge and opportunities as they start to come to their later years of football,” Cahn said.
The International Football School caters for children from kindergarten through to year 12 and is located at Mount Penang. CLICK HERE to find out more.
The Mariners and IFS are working together to build a better platform for children to develop their Football skills and knowledge. Close relationships between both sets of technical staff are ensuring Coast kids are experiencing a common learning experience.
Each year the number of children in the Mariners Academy from IFS is growing and both organisations are working towards finding the Mariners next Hyundai A-League player, could it be Buswell?
