NSW Maccabi Spawns Futsal Internationals
Three NSW Maccabi Futsal players have been selected to represent Australia.
Lev Lewis in action
The three boys have just received word that they are in the training squad for the Futsalroos tour to Thailand later this year – selection gained while still playing for their community club. November is the date that Jordan Mundell, Jarrod Basger and Lev Lewis will learn the final selection, but to be recognised as one of the top 16 players in the country in their sport of choice – it doesn’t get better than that.
“I was very excited when I received the call-up. I couldn’t stop shaking for the rest of the day,” Jordan told Maccabi News. “I just kept thinking what a great opportunity and achievement this was, and what I needed to do to ensure I gain selection for the squad going to Thailand in late November. Also, I was even more excited when I was told that Jarrod and Lev were picked as well. Having the opportunity to represent my country in a sport that I love with two good mates and absolutely amazing players, you couldn’t dream of anything better.”
“I was blown away,” Lev said. “I couldn’t believe it and it’s still a bit surreal to be at that level and the fact that the coach asked me to play for him. It’s a nice feeling.”
Jarrod added: “A couple of months ago we found out that if a team was going, we’d be around and almost there (in the team), but there was always the worry it wasn’t going to happen. When he called us, we all called each other and couldn’t believe what was happening. It’s ridiculous.”
Like a lot of the boys involved in Maccabi futsal’s senior side, the last few years have been a whirlwind.
Jordan explains: “A couple of years back I wasn’t even playing futsal! That’s how sudden and surreal all of this has been for me. It has just been such a meteoric rise from my days playing outdoor.”
Jordan enjoyed a taste of national duty in 2010, but had to miss the Asian Cup in Uzbekistan because of glandular fever. He adds: “It was a little opening of where this game could take me, and really helped me focus on what it was that I wanted to achieve from playing futsal.”
The three boys are incredibly focused to give themselves the best chance of making the final cut and will up the ante in their training programs.
“We know the competition will be intense and we’ve got to be at peak physical performance to go shoulder to shoulder and then move on from there,” Lev says.
They’re humble, focused, well spoken and appreciative …
“To be honest, I put the whole thing down to Maccabi,” Jarrod reflects. “The Futsal Club is one of the best clubs in the world to do with Maccabi; the coaches they have are second to none; Simo (Australia captain Simon Keith), Knighty (Australia coach Steve Knight), it’s down to them and Johnny (Myers) and Gareth (Naar)’s management. They want us to succeed as much as we do.”
Lev says: “It’s a credit to the work John has done for the club and the direction he’s taken us that put us in a direction to achieve this goal. It’s remarkable to think where we’ve come from 5 years ago when we went to Rome (for the European Maccabi Games).
Jordan concludes: “As everyone reading this would agree, it is the dream to be able to represent your country, playing in the sport you love, and for me, it is simply a dream come true. But on more than just a personal level, it is such an enormous achievement for Maccabi Hakoah Futsal to have 3 Maccabi players selected in the squad of 16.
“All credit must go to John Myers, for this incredible selection of Jarrod, Lev and myself has no doubt come from a year worth of amazing achievements, including back-to-back Super League titles, winning the NZ National Futsal League, winning Australia’s inaugural F-League, and winning gold in the European Maccabi Games, all opportunities realised by the amazing efforts of Johnny.
“Therefore, if I do get the opportunity to wear the green and gold, it will be the blue and white of Maccabi that will be close to my heart.”
