By David McPherson
EFL Media
Upper Ferntree Gully junior Noah Kidd isn’t afraid of the big stage, having already stepped out onto the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground on AFL Grand Final Day.
While Dobson Park is almost a world away from the towering stands of the MCG, it meant just as much to Noah to step out onto its grassy expanses with his friends for his first game of football.
Things haven’t been easy for Noah and his family in recent times, as he was diagnosed with leukemia in January of 2014.
His father Jeff has been alongside Noah for every step of the journey, and according to his dad (Jeff) so has football.
“When he was in hospital all he wanted to do was play footy and run around, so when Auskick came along he got into it straight away
“The first 12 months it was pretty horrible, there were a lot of hospital visits and illness and whatnot, but two years down the track he’s looking good.”
While illness did it’s best to keep Noah down, the current Upper Ferntree Gully Under 9 had other ideas.
“It was always a bit hard because his body wasn’t keeping up to it, and he’d want to participate because all kids do at school is run around and kick the footy,
“Probably late last year he really started to pick up his energy and enthusiasm and started to be a little boy again, wanting to get in and play cricket and run around and kick the footy.” his dad said.
Throughout the treatment process football has provided a great outlet to Noah and his dad, who coaches at the local Auskick centre.
“Auskick has given him something to really have a crack at, something to look forward to on the weekends,” Jeff Kidd said.
“It’s always been hard to keep him down because when he was sick he always wanted to get up and play, he’s very determined.”
Noah’s determination has also been noticed by junior club president Bob McLachlan.
“He’s a great kid, really polite and well-mannered, and yeah he’s also really determined. Noah is a dead keen footballer so he’s always keen to get down to the club.” he said.
Noah has a passion for the game that stems from his father and two brothers.
“His older brother would be out there playing, and even when Noah was too young to play he’d just go running out there and join in,” father Jeff said.
“We’d always watch the footy on the couch on weekends or Friday nights and he’d always be in the background or watching it with me.”
This passion for the game made the opportunity to carry last year’s AFL Grand Final match ball out onto the ground before the bounce even more special.
Jeff Kidd still remembers the moment he got a phone calling telling him of the news.
“Initially when we went into the Monash Cancer Center they had some great support services and we signed-up for a few things,” he said.
“I remember I got a phone call when I was at work and Camp Quality rang up and said that they had a good opportunity for us.”
“They explained they had two grand final tickets for us and I said ‘oh that’s great’, but then they told me Noah had been selected to carry out the ball on Grand Final Day. It was a great opportunity.”
Noah has been a force to be reckoned with in the first few rounds, even with his dad and coach Darren Powers doing their best to hold him back.
“His energy levels can be not too great, he has a bit of a short tank because he’s still on a lot of chemo medication and things so his body is still recovering and getting better,” Noah’s father said.
Despite this meaning that Noah is rested in the forward pocket and has to spend time in defense, he has been amongst the goals early, kicking five in the first two rounds.
“Playing as a forward is my favourite position, I love kicking goals,” Noah said.
The goal-scoring forward who wears the number 32, idolises North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell but was unable to snare his number seven in the scramble to allocate jumpers.
Noah has been a part of a couple of unofficial victories for Upper Gully this year, with junior president Bob McLachlan all-too-aware of the results.
“There’s no scoring in the under-nines obviously but the team’s having a lot of positive draws, they’re winning by about a hundred points every week at the moment,” he said.
Editors Note – Following the publication of the story in last weeks Eastern Footballer, Noah (who was to ill to compete) and his Upper Gully Under 9’s competed in the Lightning Premiership. Winning three out of their four games, losing the last by a point to narrowly miss out on being crowned champions.
