Lucas Cuellar Zabala, 14, attends Avondale School, in Cooranbong, and soccer is his passion.

“All my life I’ve dreamed of playing soccer professionally,” the year 9 student said.

So when his brother and mentor, Yohasir, 18, told him that representatives from the Genova International Soccer School were in Australia to host a series of trials for prospective recruits, Lucas was quick to enlist for the session at Newcastle last month.

About 20 talented players, most aged from 15 to 18, were put through a series of drills and fitness tests over four hours at Newcastle University.

Being just 14 wasn’t a concern for Lucas, but he soon realised that having played a game of soccer earlier in the day had drained his energy levels.

“I was performing at about 50 per cent that day,” he confessed.

“After the trial, they announced the scholarship recipients – a 15-year-old, an 18-year-old, and a 19-year-old,” he said.

“They wished everyone else good luck.”

But just before the boys left, the Genova representatives said they were looking for possibly another seven players from Australia.

“I got home and I was pretty angry with my performance, and sad that I didn’t make it,” Lucas said.

“But then, about two weeks later I got an email from them saying that I had good skills, and they’d like to invite me to the school.”

The catch was that Lucas - a budding striker or right winger - wasn’t being offered a scholarship.

If he was to take up the offer, he would be a full-paying participant. That means coming up with $5000 for the three-week camp in Spain.

And that doesn’t include his airfares.

Brother Yohasir said Lucas was blessed with the raw materials that top soccer coaches, such as those at the academy in Spain, would develop.

“He’s a natural. He just needs to get that training,” Yohasir said.

There was a time when the older brother enjoyed a physical dominance over his younger sibling on the soccer field.

“I used to be better than him,” Yohasir smiles. “But not any more. And even when we play Futsal, Lucas dominates 20- and 30-year-olds.”

Lucas’s step-father, Bill Ward, is a PE teacher at Avondale School.

He said that Lucas had extraordinary fine-motor skills, was fast, and dedicated to the sport.

Any financial contributions from the community would help the family to “get Lucas across the line” to Spain, he said.

If you can help, or for more information, email Mr Ward at bward@avondaleschool.nsw.edu.au