LOCAL LIFE
BLACKTOWN ’ S FINEST ...
Sport has been a passion for Yannick since he was old enough to kick a ball . by Lorna Gordon
Yannick Mifsud grew up moving around the local area , from Bosley Park to Fairfield and finally settling in Blacktown which he has called home since finishing high school .
He attended Bosley Park High School and admits to not being the best academically , but Yannick enjoyed the social side of school and that he got to indulge in his passion for sport , football ( soccer ) in particular , which he has played since he was old enough to kick a ball . “ From when I was about four or five , I always had a ball at my feet , my whole family are football crazy . My dad played semiprofessionally . I loved it from the start and my eldest son is exactly the same . Football was always my ‘ thing ’ with my dad , talking about it , playing and watching games were our way of bonding .”
Yannick embraced his talent and passion for the sport and at age 15 came home to an unexpected email and was offered the chance to play in Malta , where his family come from . He jumped at the chance , and on a plane , and he was off to the island to play for the national team and was offered a spot to play for a local team and stay in Malta .
Being under 18 , Yannick and his family were faced with the difficult choice of either moving to Malta to support him playing there or Yannick having to return home . Not wanting to uproot his whole family , he came back to Sydney and continued playing here until he turned 18 .
His skill at playing caught the eye of more talent scouts and this time he got on a plane to the UK and was approached by English team , Crew , all of which was paid for with
a Big Brother Scholarship , but again things didn ’ t work out the way he had hoped so he returned once more to Sydney .
Yannick continued to play and work casual jobs until he decided he had pursued football for long enough and it was a time for a change . He didn ’ t stray too far from his passion and stayed in the sporting industry , completing a Diploma in Sports Management and then Certificate III and IV in Personal Training .
“ After I completed my diploma and certificates , I studied strength and conditioning qualifications and Olympic weight lifting and I have my football coaching licence . I have to constantly keep up with education , which is an ongoing expectation for these sports ,” Yannick said .
“ I have been doing this for 15 years now , a lot of my education away from the books comes from working with other coaches and from the experience of doing what you love .”
All of this experience allowed Yannick to open his own gym Shred Fitness , in Blacktown and it ’ s a testament to his hard work and standing in the community that it was one of the privately owned gyms which made it through COVID shutdowns to continue servicing the community .
As well as helping the general public reach their fitness goals , Yannick has some professional sports people on his books , helping A league players and NRL players with strength and conditioning for their sports .
Yannick explained why he is so successful in his professional life .
“ I ’ m in the gym from 5.30am util about 8 o ’ clock , and it does get full on . I ’ ve got other trainers there to help , but people are coming
2024 Quakers Hill Festival of Colour ( Holi ) Next date : Saturday , 23 March 2024 | 12:00 PM to 06:00 PM Celebrate and connect with your neighbours at the 2024
Quakers Hill Festival of Colour ( Holi )!
This free and colourful event will be held from noon - 6 pm at Mihkelson Reserve , and feature a range of cultural activities and entertainment for all . The event will host food trucks and market stalls , community groups , cultural performances , free kids rides and craft as well as the highlight of the day- the colour throw !
So , grab the family and come and join us for an afternoon with great company , great food and a whole lot of fun .
FREE COMMUNITY EVENT
Get ready for the Grand Opening of the new shade structure and stage at Dawson Maall , Mount Druitt !
Join us for a free community event on Saturday 16 March as we officially open the new Dawson Mall shade structure and stage ! This event will feature : - ice cream truck - community BBQ - free face painting
- free jumping castle - live stage performances . This upgrade will provide a much-needed boost for this busy public thoroughfare in the heart of Mount Druitt and will be a colourful addition to Dawson Mall situated just next to the Mount Druitt Hub . We hope to see you there ! This is an Initiative funded by the Australian
Government .
2024 Tertiary Scholarship Program
We will award 15 Tertiary Scholarships in 2024 . Each valued at $ 1500 , successful applicants will need to have completed at least one year at a recognised tertiary institution ( university , Tafe , college etc ) in 2023 , and be continuing their studies in 2024 .
Judged by a panel of external experts , we also have the pleasure of awarding the Anne Aquilina Award which recognises the work of students studying in the health professions .
Applicants must be a resident of Blacktown City and provide a copy of academic transcripts relating to their current studies ( including those completed in 2023 ).
The judge ’ s decision on successful applicants will be final . Previous recipients of this scholarship are not eligible to apply .
Should you have any enquiries , please contact our Events and Protocol Officer , Liz May on 9839 6087 or via email liz . may @ blacktown . nsw . gov . au
Applications for 2024 scholarships are now open . Please submit your application by 5 pm , Monday 29 April 2024 .
8 ISSUE 36 // MARCH 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT