WARRNAMBOOL teenager Mar Gattek moved to Australia with his family from war-torn Sudan and then Egypt as a toddler. It didn’t take the sports-mad Gattek long to find a passion for Australian Rules football.
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The newly-selected North Ballarat Rebel started playing in grade one at the encouragement of his St Joseph’s Primary School friends.
Gattek then graduated to junior club Emmanuel Hawks before joining Hampden league outfit South Warrnambool for his bottom-age under-14 season.
“I’d never seen a footy in my life so they just showed me what it was and it went from there,” the 16-year-old said of his introduction to the sport.
“At school, I was playing at lunchtime and recess and weekends sometimes and it caught on.
“Then I got invited to play for Hawks in Auskick there.”
Gattek, a creative half-forward-cum-wingman with clean hands, is now preparing for his TAC Cup debut season.
The Hawthorn supporter – one of six siblings – said he was humbled to make the Rebels’ roster as a bottom-aged player.
“It was pretty exciting. I was kind of surprised as well – I didn’t think I played that well in the (practice) games, but I reckon they thought that I was moving well and running to the right places,” he said.
“It’s satisfying enough that I made the team, but you have got to get a game as well, so you’ve got to work hard for that.”
Gattek said North Ballarat gave him the platform to achieve his childhood dream of making the AFL.
“It is a pathway to the AFL and it opens many doors into the industry,” he said.
“I am very excited to be in it and keen for this year.”
Gattek is one of four South Warrnambool players on the Rebels’ 2016 list.
The Emmanuel College student is also striving to make his senior debut for the Roosters under new coach Mat Buck this year.
“It is definitely one of my season goals,” he said.
“I will train hard and work hard for that as well – it won’t come easy.”
