Stevan Ilic heads for the top

It was love at first touch and after the chaotic junior years of running around the field for pure enjoyment, the youngster decided to explore the avenues of representative football.
Stevan was selected for the St George Metropolitan representative side at the age of 11 and he hasn?t looked back since.
Fast-forward six years and the 181cm striker is now an Australian representative currently on a tour of the UK with the national schoolboys side.
There is no doubting that Stevan earned his spot in the starting XI. He was selected to compete for his region in the NSW Schools State Titles last year where he emerged with the golden boot.
He then took out the golden boot award again while playing for NSW in the Australian All Schools tournament in Adelaide, from where he was an obvious choice to don the green and gold jersey.
The 17-year-old is no stranger to representing his country after turning out for the Joeys in 2009 for a series of Asian Cup qualifiers. It is an achievement that Stevan?s Dad Zoran, a former Socceroo international, believes is the start to a prosperous career.
?As a kid, everyone wants to play for their country and not many of us succeed,? Mr Ilic said.
?He has been fortunate enough to make it at international level twice now.?
The Australian Schoolboys are half way through their three-week trip where they play a host of international schools. Stevan will return to Sydney just in time for the NSW Premier League season after signing an Under 20?s contract with Sydney Olympic, although he will be pushing for a first grade spot.
The Endeavour Sports High student is also a train-on member of the Central Coast Mariners? youth squad.
?He would like to progress with the Mariners, get to the Young Socceroos and eventually head over to Europe,? Mr Ilic added.
?They?ll (Central Coast) monitor him during the season and if he plays like he has been playing, I?m sure they will want to sign him next year.?
But like many of the best players in Australia, Stevan started from humble beginnings and has worked his way through the ranks. After moving from St George to Sutherland, he was selected to join the NSW Institute of Sport before joining Sydney Olympic. Critical to Stevan?s development has been learning the essentials of football, according to father Zoran.
?We worked on skills because all of the other things you can teach, but it?s important to teach any kid the fundamentals of the game.
?As Australian?s we have a natural ticker to give 150% so we just have to learn the other parts of the game.?
Although there is still work to do for Stevan to reach the top of his game, the free-scoring forward is definitely a name to look out for in the future.
-By Mitchell Grima