Isaac Heeney's new children's book series: Little Issac Footy Fever

Learn about the new middle-grade series from All-Australian Sydney Swans AFL superstar Isaac Heeney.

From one of the AFL's highest-flying footballers comes a terrific junior fiction series that celebrates the love of the game and the importance of learning from mistakes.

Start reading below!

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Over lunch we told our grandparents about school and soccer, and Dad mentioned how both Beau and I were keen to find a sport that would use all our skills.

‘I thought you might have an idea, Dad,’ my dad said to Pop. They were both smiling at each other like they’d already talked about it.

Pop was a big Aussie Rules fan from when he used to live in Melbourne. So it wasn’t a huge surprise when Dad suggested Pop show us some of his AFL memorabilia. Pop barracked for Richmond, and he used to go to the MCG to watch them play. He was always talking about his favourite players and premierships. Once he moved to New South Wales, he didn’t get to watch his beloved Tigers very often, and he seemed to really miss it.

‘Your dad was saying you boys are thinking about trying a new sport,’ Pop said.

I shrugged. ‘I have fun playing goalie, but I want to run around more.’

Pop was pulling a box down from the top of the closet. He was huffing and puffing at its weight.

‘You okay, Dad?’ Dad asked him.

‘Pass it to me, Pop,’ Beau said.

‘All good,’ Pop said, giving us a wink. ‘These hands are safe as houses.’ He laughed. ‘Nothing gets past them.’ He hefted the box onto the table and opened the flaps. ‘I hear your hands are pretty strong too, Isaac.’

I shrugged. Not when it counted most, I thought, remembering that last goal I couldn’t save. But then I thought about what Dad had said about the earlier plays. ‘Yeah, pretty strong,’ I admitted. Pop loved to hear about the sport we played, even though he always said Aussie Rules was better.

‘And your dad said you were unstoppable in front of goal, Beau?’

Beau grinned. ‘As usual,’ he said, laughing.

‘Have a look in here,’ Pop said, moving the box so we could see more clearly.

Beau and I peered inside. On the top was an old Richmond jumper, a folded-up scarf, and some pretty tired looking footy boots.

Pop was muttering to himself as he dug into the box. I’m sure it’s here somewhere …’ He let out a victorious grunt and held up an Aussie Rules footy. ‘Knew it!’ he said, chuckling to himself as he turned it over in his hands. It had faded to pink, and was almost completely flat. But Pop didn’t seem too worried about that.

‘Might need a bit of help before it’s ready,’ Dad said, laughing.

Pop grinned. ‘Always brought me good luck!’ he said. ‘It just needs some air, and she’ll be good to go.’ He frowned, thinking for minute. ‘Now, where is it?’ He disappeared into the garage then returned with a rusty old pump in his hands. ‘Found it!’

We went outside. Pop and Grandma had lots of space to play.

Dad and Pop worked on the footy, fiddling with the pump and the needle, testing and adjusting the pressure.

Soon the footy was pumped up just right, according to Pop, who was punching the ball gently so it spun in his other hand. He had a huge grin on his face, like a little kid at Christmas.

Beau and I laughed.

‘Let’s give it a test run,’ Pop said, and Dad stood at the opposite end of the yard, waiting for the ball.

Pop lined up and shanked it to the left, forcing Dad to jog after it. But when Dad kicked it back, Pop had another go and the ball sailed smoothly in a neat arc right into Dad’s hands.

They kicked the ball back and forth for a bit.

Beau and I were dying to have a go, but it was funny watching Pop and Dad try to remember how to play. I watched the way they guided the ball down with one hand, their eyes on the path ahead.

‘Can we have a turn?’ Beau asked, when he grew too impatient.

‘Ha! Of course,’ Dad said. It was obvious he and Pop liked playing together. I wondered if they used to play kick-to-kick when Dad was a kid. I’d never asked. I knew Dad played rugby most of his life, because he’d grown up in New South Wales. But maybe Pop tried to teach him footy too?

‘Okay!’ Pop said. ‘Who’s first?’

Beau’s hand shot up and Pop laughed. ‘Ready?’ He laid the ball in the flat palm of one hand and punched it with his other.

It hit Beau clean on the chest.

‘That’s a handball,’ he said proudly. ‘It’s a good skill to have. Even though my favourite players didn’t use it too often,’ he added, laughing. ‘Too busy kicking goals.’

Beau gave it a try, mimicking what Pop had done. It looked good. Natural. Like Beau had been handballing his whole life. As usual. He could watch someone kick or throw or even backflip for the first time – literally, any sport – and five minutes later he’d be doing it like a pro.

I didn’t learn new skills as fast as Beau. But I didn’t mind practising for as long as it took to catch up. That was half the fun for me.

‘Your turn, Isaac,’ Pop said, after he’d gone back and forth a few times with Beau, instructing him along the way. He handballed the footy to my right. I reached out and caught it.

‘You’re a natural!’ Pop said.

I laughed. It was a pretty easy catch.

‘Okay, now you pass it back. Lay your hand out flat like a pancake,’ Dad said. ‘Like this.’ And he spread his hand, palm up.

I copied what he was doing, then set the footy in place, turning the laces face up, like Pop had done.

‘Good! Now, clench your other hand like you’re holding an ice-cream cone,’ Pop said, and held his fist to show me.

I clenched my fist, and lined up the ball.

‘Looks good!’ Pop said.

‘You’ve got it,’ said Dad. ‘Now put it together.’

I punched on the bottom of the ball just like Dad and Pop had shown me. Even though it wasn’t quite as smooth as Beau’s technique, the footy flew in a straight line, flipping backwards in flight like it’s meant to.

Beau caught it and passed it back saying, ‘Go again.’

So I did.

We handballed back and forth for a few minutes, before Beau wanted to have a kick.

Dad and Pop showed us how to do it. We had to hold the ball, laces up, and drop it on the boot with our kicking hand. We had to practise the drop a few times before it looked anything like it was supposed to.

Then Dad and Pop went through what all the different kicks looked like, and explained when to use them. There was a lot to learn, but I loved every minute of it.

Finally, we got a chance to put it all together. It was completely different to kicking a soccer ball. The shape of the footy meant we had to make contact in just the right spot or it could go anywhere! And getting the drop right before the kick was harder than it looked. I tried to hold the ball like Dad did, but when I kicked it, my foot kept sliding off the side. One time, the ball hit the side of Pop’s shed!

‘Sorry!’

Beau laughed. He ran off, chasing the ball, and gathered it in his hands like he’d been doing it forever.

‘My turn,’ he said. He stood opposite Dad and listened as Pop made suggestions to improve his action. But Beau was impatient and, without really looking, drilled the footy hard, hitting me clean on the chest.

I caught it! My hands seemed to know exactly what to do without really thinking about it.

‘Nice kick!’ Pop said to Beau.

‘Nice mark!’ Dad said to me.

Beau and I grinned at each other, then I kicked it back.

‘You boys keep practising,’ Dad said. ‘We’ll check in later.’

Beau and I kept playing but it wasn’t long before we wanted to ramp it up. ‘Let’s go down the back again. We can use the tree for target practice,’ I said. ‘It’ll help with accuracy.’

Beau’s eyes lit up. ‘I have a better idea.’

Beau often had a ‘better idea’. Except a lot of the time it didn’t go too well. Sometimes we ended up at the Emergency Department.

‘We can use the tree to practise our marking,’ Beau said. ‘Instead of the tennis ball, we’ll use the footy.’

I looked at the strong, thick-trunked tree. The branches looked like arms, all stretched out with fingers curling toward us, like an invitation. It would be trickier because we were still learning how to handle the ball. But it also meant we’d learn faster.

‘Okay. Let’s go.’

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Extracted from First Bounce: Little Isaac Footy Fever by Isaac Heeney and Nicole Hayes, illustrated by Dan McGuiness. The first and second book in the Little Isaac Footy Fever series are available right now from your bookstore of choice!

First Bounce

Game On 

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First Bounce: Little Isaac Footy Fever 1

by Isaac Heeney and Nicole Hayes, illustrated by Dan McGuiness

A brilliant sports series that will entertain young readers, inspire kids to be active and healthy, and encourage them to find fun and friendship in sport, by All-Australian Sydney Swans AFL superstar Isaac Heeney.

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