High school has plans for its NFL star Jordan Mailata’s Super Bowl day out

Not a single pub in the country will be as enthralled by February 13th’s Super Bowl as a school in Sydney’s southwest.

Former Condell Park High school pupil Jordan Mailata will become the third Australian to play in the NFL’s Super Bowl when he suits up for the Philadelphia Eagles on February 13. Picture: Getty Images

Not a single pub in the country will be as enthralled by February 13th’s Super Bowl as a school in Sydney’s southwest, where Condell Park High is planning to cheer on its alumnus, the NFL star Jordan Mailata.

Mailata will become the third Australian to play in the American league’s most-anticipated event after his team, the Philadelphia Eagles, won out 31-7 over the San Francisco 49ers.

Despite the 25-year-old’s reputation as a hardworking star athlete in high school, Mailata has exceeded even the expectations of his southwest Sydney alma mater.

His physical education teacher, Kieren Frappel, said before rugby league – which Mailata would go on to play professionally for the South Sydney Rabbitohs – his original sporting talents shone in shot put and athletics.

“(Mailata) was quite aware that with his size and the athletic talents he had, that he could do something special … I remember him telling me he knew that he could potentially take his own path and change his life and his family’s life,” Mr Frappel said.

“Someone needs to make a movie and follow what has ­happened,”

While he left the school in 2014, Mailata still circulates in and outside of the classroom as the next generation of athletes look to the former sports captain for their ­inspiration. “I use him as an example in class regularly … he’s been gone long enough that I have to show photos and when students see them, they freak out,” Mr Frappel said.

The school always had faith in Mailata. In the early days, his sporting excellence was recognised by an invitation to an athletics program in Canada and the US, for which Condell Park helped to fundraise money.

Little did he know that he’d be returning to the US in 2018 through the NFL’s international player pathway program.

Principal Susie Mobayed, who was at the school for the entirety of Mailata’s secondary education, said she knew him first for his ­musical abilities.

“What intrigued us the most in these early years was his musical ability because he could play all these instruments and he would sing as part of our school band, he has a beautiful angelic voice,” she said.

Mailata and schoolmate Rachel Small at Condell Park High.

“Jordan was this young, innovative, gentle person in a really big body … He was also a wonderful role model for younger kids.”

Although Mailata is now on a four-year, $US64m contract, Ms Mobayed said the former inner-city Newtown local came from humble beginnings.

“He didn’t have much money, they were a poor family and they struggled to pay for uniforms,”

She and Mr Frappel are hoping for a Super Bowl win for their old boy, as well as to see him back on campus for a visit. “We’d love for him to see the school, we’d love to have him back and we wish him good luck.” she said.