A 14-year-old boy from Vancouver Island is within striking distance of achieving his life’s goal of playing pro soccer.
Joseph Seward, a member of the Tsartlip First Nation, has been invited to spend next school year in a 10-month academy program with Real Madrid, learning and playing with other young elite footballers in the legendary Spanish team’s development program.
“Amazed. I felt like I was going to cry,” Joseph told Global News of the moment he learned he’d been given the offer.
“To make it pro in soccer, that’s been my dream for my entire life.”
Getting the elite invitation wasn’t easy.
Joseph has been playing soccer since he was three years old, and in the 11 years since has remained laser-focused on his goal.
The teen’s big break came last summer, when he attended a clinic at Victoria’s Pacific Institute for Sport and Education, which included representatives from the Spanish squad.
Of the 125 kids who attended, five were offered a chance to travel to Madrid to train at the team’s official academy, the teen’s father, Joe Seward, explained.
Joseph was among the five.
“We didn’t really expect much because of the talent that was (at the clinic),” Joe said. “It was emotional for us when we got the news.”
So in November, Joe and Joseph packed their bags and jetted to Europe for a chance to train.
Real Madrid liked what they saw so much, they invited Joseph back in March for further assessment.
Once again, the teen’s skill impressed the team, and he was yet again invited back — this time for a residency camp at the Madrid facility in July.
“And kind of get the experience of the life of a footballer, live with the team, train with the team, I guess a feeling-out process to see if that’s what he really wants to do,” Joe said.
“It was very huge, very exciting, it was a great honour just to see him pull a Real Madrid jersey over his head, to be wearing that, and also just being mixed in with talent from around the world, youth from around the world who have the same talent, the same goals.”
For Joseph, the experience was almost unbelievable.
“I was just amazed, because pros walk through those doors,” the teen said. “And I walked through them too.”
After all the early wake-up calls, drills, scrimmages and play, Joseph’s performance on the pitch appears to have impressed yet again, leading to an offer this month to join the Academy program next year.
News travelled quick, and Joe and Joseph were met by well-wishers at the airport. When they got back to their community, they were greeted by friends and neighbours who’d lined the streets with signs and drums to welcome them home.
“You know, I think our communities and our athletes have been overlooked in the past … It means a lot to us to see one of our local youths taking strides this way,” Joe said.
“This opportunity is opening doors for our communities and our youth to give them that hope and empowerment to get out there and compete.”
The Tsartlip First Nation has rallied around the young star, and is now asking others to help with the next step in his development.
Supporters have launched a GoFundMe campaign, aimed at raising the $60,000 needed to cover the cost of a year with the Spanish club.
While Joseph said he’s most excited about the chance to play “a different level of soccer,” he also hopes his hard-fought success will help other youth on their own journeys.
“I hope it inspires other people to make it in hockey, basketball, lacrosse,” he said. “I hope other people reach for the stars.”
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