Readers, who may have recognised Ben Rowles’ byline in the sports pages of Sunraysia Daily and scrolled through the Millewa Football League’s online match reports may be surprised to learn that some of the stories are written by a high school student.

Among his growing pile of school work and preparation for VCE next year, Ben has kept a keen eye on cricket and football, edging closer to where he sees himself as a sports journalist in five years.

The mature-minded Year 10 St Joseph’s student said his family’s football background in the Mildura and Bambill football clubs was where his love of the game started, as he grew up living and breathing sports culture.

Despite his youth, Ben is driven to continue writing and does not see his age as an issue.

“I don’t know if people know I’m 16 ... but they might be surprised if they found out,” he said.

“But they’ve also had Luke McManus previously write for the Millewa Football League when he was 16 as well, and look what he’s gone on to be with The Footy Show and what he does now.”

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Saturday’s Sunraysia Daily, 31/10/09.