JAKE O’Flynn rushes from football training to hit the floor with his basketball teammates twice a week.
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But the Warrnambool teenager wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s not as hard as I thought it would be. I still manage to play both,” he said of his sporting juggling act.
“I usually go to footy first because that’s from 6pm to 7.30pm and head straight to basketball because it starts later and we train until 8.45-9pm.
“The other weekend it got busy with a double-header in basketball and footy too.”
O’Flynn, 19, has played football since he was kid and took up basketball three years ago.
The utility has earned a recall to the red-hot Old Collegians’ senior team for Saturday’s Warrnambool and District league match against Panmure after starting the 2016 in the reserves.
He will front up for Warrnambool Seahawks in a Big V division two youth league match at Mornington on Sunday.
“They both help each other out. In basketball you have to see things a lot quicker and in football you can use it (that skill) to get more time,” O’Flynn said.
Old Collegians’ strong off-season recruiting drive and subsequent form – they’re undefeated after four rounds – forced O’Flynn to start the season in the reserves.
A string of steady performances have culminated in a call-up for the Warriors’ away fixture winless Panmure.
“I want to play my role and play it well. If everybody does that it creates team success,” O’Flynn said.
"I’ve played twos the last three weeks or so and it’s been noticed I’ve been playing well and they decided to promote me.
“I played all last year and the year before that (in the seniors) but we’ve picked up a few good recruits and I’ve had to work hard to get a spot.”
O’Flynn said new Old Collegians coach Josh Reichman was determined to take the Davidson Oval club, which is coming off back-to-back finals series, to the pinnacle.
He stressed the Warriors’ bold start – their wins have included taking down reigning premier Dennington – would count for little if they couldn’t sustain it.
“We’ve finished third the last two years and he wants to take us to the next level and carry us through and hopefully play a grand final,” O’Flynn said.
In other round five games, East Warrnambool hosts Merrivale, Deakin University takes on Allansford, Timboon Demons tackle Dennington, South Rovers battle Kolora-Noorat and Russells Creek meets Nirranda.