22 Athlone News Wednesday July 8 2009 SPORT

JOHN ADAMS

Old Mutual Academy’s Keeno Shel-

lar could bring unprecedented suc-

cess to the national team in future.

That is according to his high school

soccer coach, Dawood Tregonning.

Shellar has turned heads and

denied opponents access to goal

since he was a little boy.

When he’s not turning out for

the Academy’s under-19 squad,

Sheller stars for Beacon Hill High,

who are second on the Mr Price sen-

ior schools log.

In 2008, he was Old Mutual Acad-

emy’s Vodacom league player of the

year. Now he has taken another step

in the maturation process and

signed a contract with PSL outfit

Super Sport.

“I want to take my soccer as far

as possible. I’m going to have to

train hard to get there and I am pre-

pared to work for my goal,” said

Shellar.

Coaches who have had the oppor-

tunity to train the young star have

marvelled at his abilities, leader-

ship and work ethic.

“He is very quiet off the field,

but on the field he is a different per-

son,” said Neil Pain, who coached

him for the past three years in the

Vodacom league.

“When he talks, the other play-

ers listen because they know it is

going to be beneficial. He is out-

standing in class and on the field.

He is magnificent academically and

is well-disciplined,” Tregonning

added.

Despite the accolades, Shellar

remains well-grounded and very

close to his family.

With the confidence and excite-

ment of a new adventure knocking

at his door, Keeno is still listening to

the instructions of his coaches and

his parents’ advice.

“He will just need the right guid-

ance. When youngsters leave Cape

Town, especially to go to Johannes-

burg, they struggle because it is

tough out there. But I think he

could go all the way because on just

football abilities, he has all the cre-

dentials, said Pain.

The highest praise for Shellar

came from Tregonning. “If we want

to make Bafana Bafana a success,

then they need Keeno on the team,”

he said

PICTURE: DUNCAN VAN NIEKERK

■ Old Mutual Academy’s Keeno Shellar in action during a Mr Price fixture in Mitchell’s Plain.

Opportunity knocks as Old Mutualplayer signs with Supersport United

PICTURE: COLIN BROWN

■ Killarney race track was a hub of action on Saturday when Ismail Patel got it wrong through theMalmesbury sweep.