‘It is satisfying’

THERE’S MUCH to like about the way young Christian Foster is enjoying himself as he chalks up a string of outstanding achievements.

Wearing a broad smile, mostly, the 11-year-old boy shares about his accomplishments, including being the Mona Preparatory School’s head boy and leading goalscorer on the JISA National Under-12 Championship-winning-institution football team.

That team won the Henriques and Alberga league and cup double, with Foster leading the lines with 21 goals, the most by a Mona Prep player.

He made the principal’s Honour Roll for earning an average over 90 per cent for three consecutive Honour Rolls, the only footballer in grade six to achieve that this year. At the school’s recent graduation, Foster won the Best Footballer Award for 2024, and for academic excellence.

He also won an under-13 competition in Miami, United States competing out of the Dare to Dream Academy, scoring a goal in the final.

As captain of Dare to Dream Academy, he also won the U12 Pro Nation Cup at UWI, Mona, in March.

Twenty-one goals for Mona Prep are promising, early signs he can achieve his sporting ambition, especially as he has proven that he can shine overseas. And already, there is an awareness of the road to success.

“It means you have to train every day of the week, you’ve to eat right and you’ve to do the right things,” said Foster.

“That’s what I learn from the footballers that I watch, my favourite being Cristiano Ronaldo. I see that he eats right and doesn’t eat any of the bad foods. He trains every day of the week and also at home.”

Foster’s school hours are from 8.a.m.-3 p.m., and training is for the next two hours, following which he puts in extra hours studying to maintain balance between sport and academics. His academic goal is to earn qualification as an engineer.

“It’s a very good balance to have because just in case the football doesn’t work out, like say I get an injury, I’d always have my academics to help me,” he said.

“It’s not that difficult but you have to put in the work on both sides.”

He says God and his parents, father Ryan and mother Simone, are key to that balance and every aspect of his life, as they sacrifice hours for him and are there as his guiding light.

“I’ve learnt that having supportive parents is a good thing. They help me with my schoolwork sometimes by sending me to various extras to help me get my grades up and different football camps all around the world,” he shared. “They’ve impacted significantly by getting up with me, sometimes early morning to bring me to Saturday training.”

That influence and his own drive have meant Foster will now head to Wolmer’s Boys’ School.

“I feel very happy. I feel like I’m reaching my goals and it’s satisfying.”