US talent scouts tap Aussie teen for historic quarterback position

An Australian teen could achieve an NFL* feat never conquered by anyone outside the US or Canada.

Melbourne’s Isaac Woodhouse has grabbed the attention of talent scouts* who believe the 19-year-old has what it takes to become the first Aussie to become a quarterback* in the NFL.

Despite playing just 10 matches, the former Xavier College student on Friday flew to the US hoping to follow in the footsteps of gridiron greats such as seven time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

An Aussie has never played quarterback for a division one US school, let alone the NFL, but colleges known for gridiron glory are said to be interested in the 1.98m tall, 105kg heavy teen.

“It’s a bit unique — I’m hoping to be the first quarterback to ever do it from Australia,’’ he said.

“Obviously there have been some punters who have gone over there and done pretty well, they have had some success.

“But I’m hoping to pave the way for some quarterbacks and other skill positions’’.

Experts suggest Woodhouse will shake up the US with his size, smarts and agility.

The accidental star in the making, who grew up playing AFL, cricket and basketball, told the Herald Sun he was determined to make history as elite* US colleges clamoured for his services.

“It’s all happened really quickly but all you can do is learn along the way and give it your best crack and see how it goes,’’ he said.

Woodhouse stood out in December’s Vic Bowl when he replaced a veteran* quarterback at a crucial point in the game, when the scores were tied with less than six minutes to play. Despite the pressure, Woodhouse threw the match winner.

His Western Crusaders coach Glenn Parke, a quarterback for Victoria for 22 years, said US scouts had been taking notice as Woodhouse chased his NFL dream.

“Not only would he be the first Australian, he would be the only non-North American to ever do it,’’ he said.

“So this is the rare air, unicorn* kind of stuff that could happen if things go well for him.’’

Woodhouse will strut his stuff at “Springball*’’ in California under the gaze of recruiters from the likes of Duke, Alabama, Notre Dame and Ohio State universities.

Parke said: “He’s one of one — I have never seen the like of him.

“I’ve never seen a kid progress from a skinny 17-year-old to clearly the best quarterback in this country inside 12 months.’’

Woodhouse said: “Obviously there is not a massive following of American football over here but you kind of look at people who can do it at the elite level and go, ‘Why can’t I?’

“Obviously Tom Brady’s story is pretty well known.

“He wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and it just shows there is an opportunity and pathway for people who don’t have success younger to go on and become the greatest of all time in Tom Brady’s situation.’’

He said he hoped the sport exploded in Australia, off the back of matches at the MCG and Jordan Mailata becoming the first Aussie to win a Superbowl.

Since National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules ban athletes making a US income, Woodhouse will rely on Aussie backers such as compression company Saint to pay for his quest.

Parke said: “The overseas guys I trust and I’ve known forever, believe he has an NFL calibre* arm.

“I’ve always believed it but if you want that confirmation, from the people involved in the NFL, that know the system he is going to go through and how much improvement he has.

“He is deadly accurate.’’

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GLOSSARY

• NFL: the National Football League, the major American gridiron football competition
• talent scouts: people who watch football games and spot new and upcoming talent to recruit into professional teams
• quarterback: an important member of the team, the quarterback is usually considered the leader of the offensive side of the ball and often makes important decisions about the play
• veteran: someone who has been playing for a long time
• unicorn: someone that has rare talent and is difficult to find
• Springball: the spring pre-season where players train and then play a game in front of recruiters
• elite: the best of the best
• calibre arm: a strong and precise arm for throwing long range balls

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QUICK QUIZ
1. How did Isaac Woodhouse recently grab the attention of US talent scouts?
2. Which position does he play?
3. What Australia-first feat could he achieve?
4. Where will Woodhouse show off his skills in front of recruiters in America?
5. Which NFL legend has inspired Woodhouse?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. NFL dream
What are the skills and talent required to be a quarterback in American football (NFL)?

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Why do some people believe Melbourne teen Isaac Woodhouse possesses some of these attributes?

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
What might Isaac Woodhouse’s story do for the popularity of American football in Australia if he makes the NFL?

What might the AFL and NRL think about this sport gaining new popularity?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Exercise the body and the mind
Exercise is not only important for the body, but it’s a lot of fun as well. Let’s bring more exercise into classroom learning by creating a VCOP PE game.

You can add a VCOP challenge to pretty much any game, and it’s a great way to encourage the teacher to let the class play more games.

Here is an example to get you started, then you create one of your own.

VCOP dodge ball
The normal rules of dodge ball apply. Two teams throw soft balls at each other and if you get hit, you have to sit out. The team who knocks out all the players on the other team, wins.

VCOP challenge: when you get eliminated, collect a mini-whiteboard and a basic clause from the sidelines. Up-level the sentence (make it better) by adding VCOP. When you show the teacher your completed sentence, you can return to the game.

Play for a set amount of time and the team with the most players left on the court wins.

Support: use the “Up-Level It” card set – players have to complete one card from the set instead of completing all VCOP challenges.

What can you come up with?