Player Focus: Kieran McDowell

Kieran started out playing in the U'11s around the age of 9 in the Wolves team, coached by Ian Fettling. He moved up into Under 15s when he was turning 11 and joined Forest.

It was around this time he developed a liking for goalkeeping and before long was asked by Olivia Berg to play in the Maryborough U13 side in the BDSA competition. Shortly after this he was invited to try out for the Goalkeeping position in the BDSA representative side to compete in the 2003 Victorian Country Championships. From this tournament he was selected to attend the State Camp held in Geelong along with Ryan & Scott Berg, Ryan McIvor, Luke Bucknall & Lachlan Cameron & Anders Malone, also from Maryborough City Soccer Club.

In 2004 & 2005 Kieran played with the Ballarat Academy of Soccer as well as still playing for Maryborough in their successful Premiership sides. Also at this time he was attending the Victorian Soccer Federation Academy in Ballarat and was captain of the Ballarat zone Under 14 boys squad.

Late in 2005 he was selected to represent Victoria in the Futsal Nationals held on the Gold Coast. He began traveling to Melbourne in 2006 to play in the Under 15 Super League competition with Altona East Phoenix. During these years he has still represented Maryborough in the BDSA side in the Country Championships, and was selected in the Victorian Country Under 15 squad, which competed in the 2006 Qantas National Titles in Coffs Harbor, last October.

After a grueling selection process Kieran has just been selected for the Victorian U'20 Schoolboys side to tour Darwin later this year.

This season he is playing for Altona Magic U21’s in the Victorian Premier League as their Goalkeeper. This is quite an achievement for a 16-year-old boy from the country who has to spend many hours a week traveling to and from Melbourne for training and matches.

The Premier league is the highest league in the State and the Victorian Premier League is regarded as one of the best in the country boasting a few former NSL sides such as South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights, and is the breeding ground for many of today’s A-League stars.

We congratulate Kieran on his amazing achievements so far and wish him all the best in his future endeavors both on and off the field -MCSC.