Hampton Park halfforward Daniel Stevenson is the fourth nomination for the ‘2005 Gazette Young Gun’ award.DANIEL Stevenson is a Hampton Park boy through and through and the fourth nominee for the ‘2005 Gazette Young Gun’ award in the CaseyCardinia League.
Stevenson, 19, has been in outstanding form as a senior halfforward in the exciting young Redback team this season and despite a groin injury keeping him out of the side for several weeks, would be among the favourites for Hampton Park’s bestandfairest award.
The highmarking, mobile youngster has played all his football with Hampton Park, starting in the under nines and progressing to the senior side through the club’s under18s with a number of team mates including Sean Nunan and Mark Griffiths.
He progressed to play senior football as an under 18 in 2003, but injured his knee at the start of 2004 and missed the whole season.
After surgery and months of rehabilitation, Stevenson resumed his football this year and immediately made an impact, with coach Jason Chapple’s style of allowing ‘players to play’ conducive to his exciting talent.
He said his favourite position was on the ball and he may look at playing at a higher level in the future. He counts his selection as the Redback’s Rising Star in 2003 as his career highlight to date.
“I don’t get to play onball much at the moment, but I’m enjoying playing halfforward in this side,” he said.
“I wanted to see how my knee goes this year and maybe go down and have a go at Springvale (in the future) but it’s been really good at Hampton Park this year playing in a young side.”
Stevenson named his father Glen as the biggest influence on his career.
“Dad’s been there every game and encouraged me right through the juniors. He comes down to training and watches and he’s always supported me,” he said.
