Vietnamese-American guy "burns" himself out with rugby

Vietnamese-American player Jayden Nguyen. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, one day when Jayden was 9 years old, he came home begging his father, Duc Nguyen, to let him play rugby with his friends. Previously, Duc Nguyen had only thought his son liked football. Two weeks after his son's request, Duc Nguyen went to Point Cook Sharks – a rugby club based in the suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – to register Jayden for training.

According to SBS, Jayden's passion for rugby grew so much that he often skipped school to play with his friends. After his family moved, Jayden joined the Avondale Heights team, also in Victoria, and soon after made it onto the Essendon District and Vic Metro teams in the U16 and U18 age groups – a stepping stone to a professional career.

At 19 years old, Jayden made history by becoming the first Vietnamese-born player to play in the AFL for Essendon on August 2nd. Jayden still vividly remembers the moment he received the news from his club that he would be playing in the match against Sydney Swans. “My dad was downstairs and when he heard the news, he cheered, ran to hug me tightly. The whole family gathered to celebrate; it was an unforgettable feeling,” Jayden shared. And on Jayden's big day, his entire family was present at Sydney Cricket Ground to cheer on the young Vietnamese-born player.

Jayden's parents immigrated to Australia in 1986. Duc Nguyen didn't know much about the AFL, but with a father's love, he always supported his son's passion. When he learned his son was about to make his AFL debut, Duc Nguyen could only choke up and say, "His dream has come true."

That dream was nurtured by Jayden's burning passion for rugby since he was a child. "He slept with the ball. He would hug the ball while he slept. He often played rugby indoors. The ceiling was covered in rugby ball prints," Duc Nguyen recounted.

Meanwhile, hard work and dedication are the words coaches use to describe the young player of Vietnamese descent. Playing as a defender, Jayden's speed and tackling ability have made a strong impression on the Essendon club's coaching staff.

“My family is so happy that I have this opportunity. This has been my dream since I was 9 years old. My parents have sacrificed so much. I just want to make them happy,” Jayden said. The Vietnamese-Australian player couldn't hide his happiness upon receiving many congratulatory messages from friends, relatives, and the Vietnamese community in Australia. This made Jayden even more confident on the field because he knew that he always had many people supporting him.

Looking back on his journey from being an outcast because few Asian children played rugby in his local area, to being welcomed by the entire team, Jayden only hopes that more young Vietnamese and Asian children will join the AFL. "I just want to inspire Vietnamese children, Asian children, and the whole community to see that with passion and dreams, anything is possible," Jayden expressed.

While the AFL may not be familiar to many Vietnamese people in Australia, the appearance of the first young player of Vietnamese descent in the league has brought pride and hope for future change.

PEARL

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/chang-trai-goc-viet-chay-het-minh-voi-bong-bau-duc-post811028.html