Evan Watts loves being involved in a whole range of sports and as well as being a goalkeeper with Swansea City and a Welsh trialist in cricket, has also played rugby and tennis, done well at cross country and been a more than useful swimmer.
 
If you wanted proof of how busy it sometimes becomes can be gauged from a recent Saturday where he and dad Neil left home near Haverfordwest at 8am so that he could attend a training session with Swansea City at Landore from 10-12 noon and straight from there journeyed a few miles to Llandarcy to take part in an indoor trial with the Welsh Cricket Squad from 1-6pm.
 
Then it was back home for a short break before trekking back to Fairwood, in Swansea, at 9am on Sunday so that he could play in goal for the Swansea City team for his age group against West Bromwich Albion.
 
Games are played over four quarters and the Young Swans beat their counterparts from West Bromwich Albion by 8-4, a victory that was doubly pleasing because Evan, who shared the keeping duties with a team mate, only conceded one of the goals.
 

Started out early in football

 
It all seems a long way from the time he set out in the round-ball game at some Saturday morning 'fun football sessions' under the watchful eye of Bob Nelson and took to it straight away.
 
From there he started playing at Camrose in 2013, playing up a year and doing nicely on the wing as he scored his share of goals alongside the likes of Sam Pritchard, Will Wilson, Gareth John, Matthew Dyson, Stuart Roach-James and Tom Williams under the coaching leadership of Paul Williams, David Roach-James and Evan’s father Neil.
 

Unusual start at The Swans

 
From there he was invited to take part in a satellite club for Swansea City at Tasker Milward School every Wednesday evening, with players from all over the county taking part - and he must have done well because from there he was asked to attend a trial for the Swansea City Academy, where he not only played on the wing but had five minutes in goal to help out.
 
Nothing came of the trial but to the Watts' family surprise he had an invite the following campaign for a six-week extended trial as a goalkeeper, but Evan decided he was enjoying himself playing football with his local pals and decided against it.
 
Thanks to the efforts of Rob Owen he was asked again the following year to go for a six-week trial and on this occasion decided to give it a try - and he was delighted when he was picked for the Academy against Birmingham City at the Landore Training Ground and they won!
 

Lots of games – and travel in taking on top sides

 
The team is coached by Joel and Jackson Moody and since then he has played against the likes of Coventry, QPR, Fulham, Wolverhampton, Cardiff, Southampton, Reading, Stoke and Derby in a range of tournaments across the country. They even have their own goalkeeping coaches in Andrew Sparks, Alex and Clive, plus further help from Dan Maxwell and Ollie Jefferson.
 
But it is fair to say that there is always pressure to maintain a place and in a June/July review seven youngsters were told they were no longer needed - but Evan's parents Neil and Debbie were called in with the good news that he was being given another contract for this season.
 

Following in family footsteps

 
That Evan should be a good all-round sportsman should come as no surprise because his grandfather Stuart has been a fine cricket and golf player whilst dad Neil played rugby for Haverfordwest and Pembrokeshire as a ball-winning second row, still plays table tennis as often as he can and has raced cars on the Welsh Sports and Saloon circuit with more than his fair share of success.
 
Younger brother Harvey plays football and at nine years of age is a mean drummer - and although mum Debbie doesn't play a lot of sport she is the brains of the operation, is an ace chauffeur for away matches, when they have to leave home at 5.30am to meet the team bus in Swansea, and organises most of the logistics to make sure all Evan's sporting time table is adhered to. Then there's Evan's cousin, George James, who has encouraged him in all the sport that he does.
 

Also a very good young cricketer!

 
Outside of his football, it is cricket that occupies much of his time in the summer as an all-rounder with Haverfordwest Cricket Club, where he receives coaching from Simon Williams and Nick Dyer - and was delighted in 2013 to be chosen for the 'All-Rounder of the Year' award.
 
His best performances so far have been a four-wicket haul in one over against Crymych and since he has played regularly for the county team for his age group he scored 60 (retired) against West Glamorgan. He also achieved an unusual distinction of a different sort which pleased county coaches Andrew Miller, Jonathan Willington, Jamie Phelps, Ryan and Matthew Lewis as he fielded at fine leg against Carmarthenshire in Kidwelly and ran out three opposing batsmen with throws from the boundary!
 

Other sports

 
Evan played rugby in the centre but simply couldn't find enough time to train and play - whilst tennis is another sport in which he has done well as he played in tournaments in Swansea and Cardiff. In 2015 he won the County U11 singles and partnered Iori Humphreys to victory in the under 12 doubles.
 
He has also run in cross country for the school and featured as highly as second place at Oakwood - and when he joined the Pembrokeshire Harriers he earned top spot in the long jump and a creditable fourth in his first attempt at 800 metres.
 
Throw in some swimming, where he came second in the Urdd Gala at Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, came sixth competing up a year in 2014 and then another second spot in 2015, all in the breast stroke, and it is easy to see how difficult it is to fit everything in.
 

Best memories – so far

 
But it is football that remains his No 1 favourite and one of his best memories so far came when Evan and Co played in a tournament in Bath that included teams from Chelsea, Everton and Rayo Valecano (from Spain).
"We were top of the table after the first day," said Evan, "and although we moved down a bit the following day we claimed a draw against Everton thanks to a last-second goal!"
 
"I also met Gary Monk one Sunday when I was a bit early for the bus and another time we had our photos taken with all the goalkeepers from under 9 to the senior keepers at Swansea City, including Lucas Fabianski and Gerhard Tremmel in the Liberty Stadium, which is a great thing to keep!
 
"Another highlight was to be invited to a Premier League match against Newcastle and at half time my goalkeeping partner John Esson and I were allowed to walk out on to the pitch and were introduced to the crowd as young stars of the future."
 
Ask Evan about his future and he would say that being a professional footballer would be a target, although he knows the challenges ahead: and he is lucky that his parents have level heads and will be a great help.
We wish Evan Watts every success as he goes for a Welsh footballing trial this week because this modest and likeable young man is working really hard on the sporting front!