Faith and fortune
The Age
October 5, 2006
The young men who eventually enter AFL ranks have all made sacrifices to achieve their dream. But Bachar Houli had a difficult decision to make, writes Emma Quayle.BACHAR Houli has two big passions, and has always known that they would one day collide.
The teenager is intensely proud of his Islamic upbringing, and has spent the past week-and-a-half fasting, as part of Ramadan, the Muslim month of prayer, reflection, self-control and sacrifice. "It's something that's very important and meaningful to me," Houli said. "My religion helps tell me who I am."
The other thing that defines him, though, is football. Houli started playing when he was 12, in Melbourne's western suburbs; he told his mother and father only when he arrived home one day clutching a best-and-fairest trophy.
He is one of 72 young players to have been flown to Canberra for this week's AFL draft camp, badly wants to hear his name called at next month's national draft, but understands he is no certainty and the next few days might make a big difference.
The draft camp is an intense experience; while Houli spent yesterday being weighed, measured and having his reaction times recorded, he will have completed a bunch of running and jumping tests, a shuttle run, a skills session and a three-kilometre time-trial by the time he flies home tomorrow.
Houli timed himself last week, and struggled.
He realised then that his dream needed to be driven with more energy, and decided he would break his fast, for just a few days.
It wasn't an easy choice. "It was weighing on my mind. It was hard, it really was," he said. "I was planning to fast, but I knew it would be too hard, being around everyone and doing a schedule that's so full-on.
"When you're not really eating and drinking, you can imagine how much energy you lose.
"You lose a lot of focus. I didn't want to stop fasting, but then this is my career and this is what I want to achieve. Having more energy, it could change what one team thinks of me."
Houli spoke to several leaders of his local Muslim community before he made up his mind, though his parents, Malek and Yamama, were happy for him to take some time out.
"My whole family was telling me to stop fasting. I was the one saying 'no, I can't, I can't', but then I went and spoke to some people who know the religion," he said.
"I went to a number of sheiks, because I wanted to see all the different opinions, but thankfully they all came back with the same thought. They just said if you're away on business or for your career, it's OK to take a few days away from fasting.
"I'm a bit upset, because I think about everyone else back home in Melbourne, and about all my relatives. They're all fasting and I'm breaking it.
"But then again, I look at it and can see I want to do my best and that I want to try and achieve something that's important to me.
"I'm not sneaking my way around it. It doesn't feel completely right, but I'll certainly make up my time at the end of the month.
"Hopefully, I can perform at my best here, and make all of it worthwhile."
Houli found out five weeks ago that the recruiters wanted to see him at draft camp, and was surprised, having negotiated a few niggling injuries in the past 18 months.
He played for the winning Vic Metro team at the national championships in June, and proved to himself there that he could play well, against good players. Still, it wasn't until he had his draft camp place announced before training one day that he truly believed the draft might take him somewhere.
"It might not happen. I need someone to take a chance with me, but I've always wanted to do it and coming here, it's something that has given my confidence a real lift," Houli said.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm here now and all I can do is my best. I'll try my hardest with everything, and do what I can. Hopefully, things will get even better from here."
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/10/04/1159641394099.html
