Key Points
- Anthony started playing soccer when he was ten years old.
- He went through a week of intense trials and another week of soccer camp before heading to Cambodia for the Asian Cup Qualifier last November.
- Anthony is one of three Filipino Australians who represented the Philippine National Tewam at the Asian Cup Quliafiers in Cambodia.
For 16-year-old Filipino-Australian Anthony Moutzouris, soccer is life. Ever since his father, Peter Moutzouris introduced him to the game; he was determined to become the best player on the pitch.
Commitment, discipline, and the love for the game are just some of the reasons that helped Anthony achieve the level of play he achieved on the pitch.
The road to the Asian Cup Qualifiers was not easy. Once he was aware of the trials, he didn’t hesitate to give it a go and travelled to the Philippines to undergo one week of intense tryouts.
The week ended with 27 players undergoing further sessions in a week of soccer camp.
Honestly, it was pretty easy. Obviously, there was a language barrier, but at the end of the day, we all play football, and that is a language in itself.Anthony Moutzouris on playing with the Philippine Team in Cambodia after five weeks of training.
In the end, only 23 of them made it to Cambodia among them were three under 17 players from Australia.
‘They were very nice, it was hard to get the rhythm at first as not everyone spoke the (Australian-English) language, but in the end, we all spoke soccer and that was the most important thing’ shares the 16-year-old athlete.
The Philippine Team came second in Group B during the Asian Cup Qualifiers in Cambodia. Credit: with permission G Moutzouris
Five weeks of training and preparation for the Asian Cup Qualifiers has been an unforgettable experience for the Filipino-Australian teenager. While the Philippine National Team did not progress to the next round, the life lessons on and off the pitch are invaluable, including the friendships he made.
Soccer is life
To achieve the level of play Anthony has on the pitch he needed to sacrifice many things off the pitch.
He trains three times a week for one and a half hours after school and has one-on-one sessions with his coach Pat Polistina of the ASA Academy in Sydney.
However, for the 16-year-old, there isn’t much of a sacrifice since soccer is truly his first love. He acknowledges that much of the sacrifice is made by his parents, who drive him to training, and games and spend most of their free time watching him on the pitch.
With Filipino-Australian teammates #19 Michael Maniti, #6 Spenser Webster who plays for St George / Season 2025, and #9 Anthony Moutzouris who plays for Blacktown City FC / Season 2025. All three play for NPL Teams in Sydney NSW, Michael Maniti for Blacktown City FC / Season 2025, Spenser Webster for St George / Season 2025 and Anthony Moutzouris for Blacktown City FC / Season 2025. Credit: with permission from G Moutzouris
For his Filipina Australian mom, Gina Moutzouris it is all but a small part of parenthood. She and her husband, Peter are their children’s greatest fans. All three boys play soccer. ‘If it was up to my husband, he wanted a futsal team (five kids)’.
While Gina admits that it can be tiring at times, the immense joy they get watching their boys play on the pitch is incomparable.
She was with Anthony during the weeks he spent in Cambodia playing for the Asian Cup Qualifiers, ‘definitely a sense of pride. Watching him play on the pitch be it for after-school sport, JNPL (junior premier league), or the Philippines I feel so proud. As a parent, seeing he is happy, and how soccer is so important to him. That would make anyone envious right?’.
The Moutzouris Family. ‘If it was up to my husband, he wanted a futsal team (five kids)’, Gina Moutzouris on how her husband Peter introduced the game to their children; all three of their boys play soccer. Credit: Gina Moutzouris
The mother of three soccer players says whatever happens in the end, ‘for us, it is supporting the decisions they want to make. It’s their journey to take and we are just the vehicle that helps them get there.’
That journey requires a lot of guidance and support, and choosing the right people to guide your child is also important in the path they take.
Pat Polistina has been coaching Anthony since he was ten years old ‘he pushed me a lot, helping me and developing my skills as a player. He has worked with a lot of players who have gone to big clubs, the A-League, Even today, he continues to guide me and help me become a better player.’
Like Anthony, Pat Polistina’s father introduced him to the sport. He was kicking the soccer ball from the age of four and until today for Pat ‘soccer is life’. He has played for several clubs overseas and finally decided to return to Sydney and start his academy.
The veteran soccer player is well aware of what it takes to achieve the level of play any soccer player needs to succeed. He says ‘you need balance, you see a lot of world-class teams like Manchester, Real Madrid, they all have balance. You may have a Messi or Ronaldo; Messi won the World Cup but he had a lot of balance around him. He had a lot of players around him who wanted to play to get that ball and when he got the ball, he was very effective.’
Every Team needs a Team Player
Every successful team is built on teamwork. For Pat Polistina the players aren’t just found on the pitch, the players outside the pitch play an even more important role. ‘The child needs to be in a good environment, the parent’s support and here at our academy we strive to give the best environment for the kids to thrive in.’
Like most soccer players particularly those who play at the JNPL level, for Anthony, playing at the A-League is the end goal. ‘to get paid playing the sport I love would be amazing, anything more than that …let’s just see how it goes’
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