Brandon Borello, Lawrence Thomas, and Thomas Beadling from the Western Sydney Wanderers, joined a Q&A with young people, sharing about their lives on and off the field.
Image: Brandon Borello, Lawrence Thomas, and Thomas Beadling from the Western Sydney Wanderers Footbal Club sit in front of a group of young people.
The Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club has been a dedicated and passionate supporter of Life Without Barriers for many years and are committed to creating meaningful opportunities for young people in out-of-home care.
Through this ongoing partnership, the Wanderers have opened many doors for young people and provided access to attend Wanderers' events including exclusive training sessions and matchday experiences. There are now strong connections between the young people we support, the club and it's players.
One of the highlights of this collaboration recently took place when a group of young people were invited to spend some valuable time with three of the club’s star players: Brandon Borello, Lawrence Thomas, and Thomas Beadling. This group of young people were offered a rare opportunity to engage with the players and ask questions to get to know them beyond their roles on the field.
For the young people involved, it was an exciting experience to engage with professional athletes, it was also a chance to receive advice, inspiration, and a sense of connection. Brandon, Lawrence and Thomas were generous with their time and shared insights into their careers, personal journeys, and the importance of hard work, perseverance, and teamwork.
The participants asked the players a range of thought-provoking and fun questions, from how they stay motivated during tough times to their favourite memories on the field.
To share a glimpse of this incredible experience, we’ve compiled some of the best questions and answers from the session below.
Image: From left to right: Lawrence Thomas, Brandon Borellos, and Thomas Beadling, interviewed by a group of young people.
Who inspires you the most and why?
Lawrence: When I was young, I wanted to play to buy my mum a Ferrari. That was my goal. I still haven't done it, she's got a Corolla. I'll tell you, probably my family inspires me the most. But I always loved to play the game because I love the sport.
Thomas: Growing up, always family. And now, because I have a daughter.
Brandon: It is all about the family in the end, right? Because being a football player, you might not know it, but it does get lonely at times. You travel from team to team to team. So, the one constant in your life is family. That's the reason why most of us play, for our family. Like Thomas said, we both have little ones now, so we want to try and set a good example for them.
What do you think the hardest position to play is?
Thomas: I think it's a midfield, in the middle of the pitch, because you don't always know what's going around you. You have to be quick and smart and move the ball quickly. I think it's most difficult.
Lawrence: I'd say goalkeeper. Keepers, always start early, we finish later. We have to save them all the time as well.
Brandon: I'll say goalkeeper is, only because if they make one mistake it's a goal, right? But if I make a mistake, it's not a goal. It's all easy. The goalkeeper might not be involved in the game all the time, but he needs to be ready and focused every minute of the game because unfortunately, he's the last line before the opposition gets to score a goal. If he's not ready, I'm not going to win.
Image: From left to right: Lawrence Thomas, Brandon Borellos, and Thomas Beadling, interviewed by a group of young people.
Why did you choose to play soccer and not another sport?
Lawrence: I always loved playing soccer. I was scared to play rugby league because they were all so big.
Thomas: I think where I'm from, and where I grew up, it was just football that was everything. I just grew up with it and loved it.
Brandon: When I was about 13 or 14, I had to make a decision between basketball and soccer. I wasn't big enough for basketball, but I was really good. So, I ended up taking the football path, and it's led me to here.
What are some of the challenges you faced when becoming a professional soccer player?
Brandon: Oh, a lot; moving out on your own, leaving mum and dad and then there were injuries. Not playing, as often as you'd like. All these challenges that you have to face, when your life is dedicated to one sport and it feels like everything you do, it's not giving something back, sort of get lost a little bit. I felt like that was one of my personal challenges, and being injured so often.
Lawrence: I think the players that make it normally to the professional level, are ones that can overcome the most challenges, whether it's injury or living away from home, or not being picked. The ones that can get through the most challenges end up going all the way. That's the difference.
What is a favourite moment from your career?
Lawrence: Probably winning in the grand final, it's a nice feeling. And all the celebrating after.
Thomas: Mine would be scoring against Celtic at Celtic Park. I had all the family there and it was a nice moment. Brandon: I think the best moments are still yet to come.
Image: From left to right: Lawrence Thomas, Brandon Borellos, and Thomas Beadling, sitting in front of three young people as they interview them.
To dive deeper into the Q&A session, view the full interview on Life Without Barriers' YouTube channel!
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