Valentine Sports Park set to be hit by Australian Youth Olympic festival fever

Current Sydney Tigers caretaker coach and former Socceroos skipper Paul Okon will be in charge of the Under 18?s Australian team who are set to compete against the likes of the U.S.A, Chile and China.
The Australian Youth Olympic festival has been running since 2001 following the success of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The 2009 festival promises to be the biggest yet with 1,550 athletes from 27 countries competing across 17 sports.
Okon has selected nine members out of his current 18 man squad that are currently plying their trade in the National Youth League.
The current Tigers number one stated the importance of this tournament and what benefits it had to offer some of Australia?s most promising young prospects.
?This tournament is a good opportunity for the younger guys to get some international experience,” said Okon.
“We are playing three strong teams over an intensive period of just four days so it will be a good test for them.
“It’s the type of opportunity that some players really make the most of, and I look forward to seeing how they go.”
Fixtures
15/01/2009
5pm – Australia v China                                    
6pm – USA v Chile
16/01/2009                                                           
5pm – Chile v Australia                                   
6pm – China v USA
18/01/2009                                                           
5pm – Chile v China                                                         
6pm – Australia V USA
* Schedule subject to change. 
Venue: Valentine Sports Park, Glenwood*
Australian National Youth Olympic Team squad
Dylan De Montis (AIS), Steve Lustica (Sydney FC), Dejan Aleksic (Perth Glory), Lucas Andreucci (Adelaide United), Daniel Bowles (Queensland Roar), Tyler Thurtell (Queensland Roar), Kofi Danning (Sydney FC), Rhyan Grant (Sydney FC), Kliment Taseski (VIS), Koh Satake (QAS), Petar Franjic (VIS), Jacob Borg (NSWIS), Kearyn Baccus (NSWIS), Mitchell Bevan (Queensland Roar), Joshua Groenewald (VIS), Liam Harvey (Perth Glory), James Virgili (NSWIS), Neko Vujevich (QAS)