Kicking goals: Bundy boy juggles 3 sports, represents region

At just nine-years-old, the lover of sports plays AFL at The Waves, rugby league for Western Suburbs and soccer through the Diggers Football Club.

KICKING GOALS: Bundaberg sports fanatic Evanis Johnson, 9, plays AFL, rugby league and soccer for local clubs. Picture: Rhylea Millar.

COMMITMENT is playing a weekly game and attending regular training sessions, but one Bundy boy who sports four different jerseys is putting the rest of us to shame.

Describing Evanis Johnson as lively and active would be an understatement.

At just nine-years-old, the lover of sports plays AFL at The Waves, rugby league for Western Suburbs and soccer through the Diggers Football Club.

But it's not just Evanis who commits his time to the cause, with mum Adele Johnson doing everything she can to get him to each and every match.

"We are so lucky because at this stage, none of his sports are clashing with each other," Ms Johnson said.

"Weekends are definitely a busy time for us and I ask him if he's happy playing all these sports but he always responds saying how much he loves it, so until he tells me otherwise, we'll keep playing them all."

 

KICKING GOALS: Bundaberg sports fanatic Evanis Johnson, 9, plays AFL, rugby league and soccer for local clubs. Picture: Rhylea Millar.

 

Full of beans, Evanis struggled taking so much time off from his biggest passion after COVID-19 meant sport was cancelled earlier this year.

"Before coronavirus, we were so busy with sport so to go from being that busy to nothing was definitely hard for him," Ms Johnson said.

"But then when sports started back up again, we decided to let him play AFL to see how he went and he loves that now too … he's just a really naturally sporty person."

While he has spread his wings across multiple fields, football remains to be his favourite after playing for the Diggers almost every year since he was just six-years-old.

And Evanis is certainly kicking his goals after representing Wide Bay in the National Premier League's recent football competition which was held in Gladstone.

Competing in a mixed U9 teams from Gladstone, Mackay and Central Queensland, his team was filled with players who had been selected to participate in the one day carnival, from Bundaberg and Hervey Bay.

 

SPORTS LOVER: Nine-year-old Evanis Johnson was selected to represent Wide Bay in the National Premier League's recent comp. Picture: Rhylea Millar.

 

The apple certainly doesn't fall far from the tree with Evanis taking after his AFL-playing dad and mum who played football in the women's league for The Waves.

"I definitely encourage any parent wanting to get their kids into sport to give it a go because there are so many benefits that come with it," Ms Johnson said.

"He's never been able to keep still for long but this really keeps him busy and socialised and allows him to interact with kids of all ages, as well as coaches … he just really loves his sport."

Evanis is already planning his next trip - this time to Hervey Bay, where he will learn the ropes from the professionals as part of the Brisbane Roar's football clinic tour.

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