Hudson Davies always has a ball at his feet – he lives and breathes soccer and its indoor counterpart, futsal.
The eight-year-old from Cessnock’s dedication has paid off with two incredible opportunities across these sports, including selection in a national team that will travel to China in July next year.
Hudson was chosen for the Australian Futsal Team China Tour following his impressive performance at the National Schools Futsal Championships in Brisbane in October, where he was part of the Northern NSW Under-9s White team.
On the outdoor field, Hudson plays for the Edgeworth Eagles and has been offered a place in the Eagles’ Under-9 Junior Development League (JDL) team next year.
Hudson has played soccer since he was five, and took up futsal last year, playing at community level with Maitland and progressing into the Northern NSW team for the national championships.
After the nationals, Hudson’s family was notified by email that he had been selected for the China tour, an 11-day tour that includes games against local representative teams and academies, culminating in the Jiangmen Futsal Cup.
Hudson said he is extremely excited to visit a different country, learn new skills and meet new players, but also to get out on the field and play.
Recognising this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their son, Hudson’s parents Mitch and Isabella are seeking support from the local community to help cover the costs of the trip.
Online donations can be made via GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/a8e732d0f) or the Australian Sports Foundation (asf.org.au/campaigns/hudson-davies).
A fundraising event for Hudson will be held at Bellbird Workers Club on Saturday, January 10 featuring live music by The Shady Greys (featuring the boys from Green Ginger). The event will start at 6.30pm; tickets are $10 at the door.
For more information, follow ‘Hudson’s China Tour’ on Facebook.
-Krystal Sellers
