Lads' All White dreams move closer

Kurt Owen dreams of being an All White.

Every time he pulls on his soccer boots and tightens the laces he visualises himself wearing the silver fern on his chest.

For the 15-year-old John Paul College student his dream is one step closer to reality. Later this month Owen will pull on a jersey sporting the silver fern as part of the New Zealand under-15 soccer team to tour Germany and Austria just before the World Cup kicks off.

Owen will play a crucial role in the team defending the goal mouth. "I love it there. Making a great stop is an awesome feeling," Owen said.

Playing in front of European soccer scouts has Owen, who has played the sport for 11 years, a little on edge.

"We've been told there will be heaps of scouts on the sidelines and it does make me feel nervous. I hope I play well and if we come away from the tournaments with a win then it will be awesome."

Owen is the only goalie in the squad and should be assured of plenty of game time.

Other Bay of Plenty players in the 16-strong team include Raymond How, Mark Jones and Jesse Smith, all from Taupo, Kahi Abraham of Opotiki and Dmitri Ardachev, Scott Dobson and Ben Hamer, of Tauranga.

The three-week tour takes in a trip to the famous Werder Bremen club and the New Zealand team will also he part of a World Cup Soccer Camp where young soccer players from round the world will train with some of the best in the sport.

The Kiwi side is also entered in the Cordial Cup Tournament to be played in Austria with 20 top teams competing.

The tour will end in Munich with a final training camp just before the World Cup starts.

Team manager Denise Rose, of Tauranga, said the invitation to the Waikato Bay Of Plenty Soccer Federation for a New Zealand team to compete at the tournaments came in January.

Two trials, open to under 15 players around the country, were held in Hamilton and Rotorua to select the team.

Rose said soccer legend Winton Rufer had been a driving force behind the tour and had opened a number of doors for the team prior to their arrival on May 19.

"This trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity for these young players. If they perform they could be spotted by scouts and you never know what could happen from there. In Europe they tend to identify future champs when they are young.

"Wynton Rufer has used his name to help us out over there which is really awesome."