21-year-old White Eagles FC first grade player, Aleksandar Beljanski, began his footballing adventure like many others united through the beautiful game, with a simple love for the sport. Starting at the tender age of five, some of his earliest life memories are filled with the joy of playing at Belnorth FC alongside a tight-knit group of close family friends.
As an avid football fan, Beljanksi’s father was initially concerned that his young son might not take to football as he did. He was swiftly proven wrong, however, as Beljanski grew a powerful passion for his dad’s beloved game in a variety of different avenues.
“I started playing for Belnorth FC with a group of four of my mother’s friend’s sons and Dad tried to get me into football when I was five, but I would just pick the ball up and run away, so he was worried,” said Beljanski.
“My whole junior career up until under 14’s was with Belnorth, beginning there at under sixes as a five-year-old and I’ve loved football ever since, Dad’s worries quickly went away.”
Beljanski built the foundation of his knowledge and skills with Belnorth, remaining at the club for eight years, developing a comprehensive understanding of the game. His time there culminated in clinching an under 14’s division one minor premiership, a treasured milestone that would elevate his playing standard to a new level.
“I won a minor premier in my under 14’s division one team, and then moved up to Belconnen United and played there for two years,” Beljanski commented. “And then after learning a lot at Belconnen, I moved to the Capital Premier League with White Eagles, and I’ve been playing there for the past five years.”
After studying the sport’s core fundamentals with Belnorth, the last seven years of Beljanksi’s playing career have consisted of representing two of Canberra’s most historic and highly reputable clubs in Belconnen United and White Eagles FC in the competitive leagues of NPL Youth and CPL first grade.
Making the move into CPL with White Eagles, Beljanski feels he has found his proverbial football home at a place that possesses a positive and proud community atmosphere.
“White Eagles has 100% had the biggest impact on my life in football and outside of it, also coming from a Serbian background, it’s definitely my home,” Beljanski stated. “Arriving there, I just felt so welcome as the fans, the club, the players, everyone in the community is so involved, I definitely found a new love for football and have adored playing ever since.”
“It’s such a family-based club and therefore everyone knows everyone and looks after each other, which is what I think is so important into making a good and successful club,” added Beljanski.
Despite his highly developed adoration for the sport, Beljanski has also suffered the woes that has hindered the careers of so many aspiring athletes.
“I pulled my hamstring four times within a year, and it’s been a rough journey back as I’ve struggled with returning my fitness and speed which were some of the key skills that I previously had,” claimed Blejanski. “It’s just been about making sure my body is well recovered enough to prevent it from happening again.”
Despite his incurred setbacks due to injury, Beljanski still credits the footballing game for having such a positive influence on his life and mental wellbeing.
“It’s been so good for my mental health and fitness, I think without football, I’d be sat on the couch doing nothing and picking up a bag of chips,” Beljanski shared.
“But with this sport, I’m out there four times a week training, playing, putting my heart on the line for my club and teammates, and the bonds I’ve created through football have just been amazing and I hope I keep them for the rest of my life.”
Beljanksi’s future objectives from a playing perspective are firmly rooted in bringing silverware and promotional success to his current host club.
“My goal is hopefully to take Eagles to NPL 1 at least once in my career as we haven’t been back there since around 2006 so it would be a dream come true to get us back up there, especially being a Serb myself it would mean a lot helping them come top of the league here in Canberra,” discussed Beljanski.
Although Beljanski confirms White Eagles is his second family, he strongly recognises a former coach at Belconnen United for serving as one of his biggest influences and teachers in football.
“One of my biggest influences in my playing career has to be one of my former coaches when I was in under 15’s, Niall Stoddart, he made me from a bang average player into who I am today, built me up with confidence and utilised me in ways he knew that I could play,” spoke Beljanski.
“He gave trust in me, pushed me up as player into NPL quality performances and he made sure that I got the time I needed, and he just improved my game magnificently and I never had a coach since that who has built up my game as much as he did.”
As he continues to navigate his career in football, Beljanski insists the prospect of competing in the sport overseas remains a tantalising possibility.
“I’ve thought about it a lot, I have a lot of family over in England and Serbia and there are a lot of clubs there that I have personal connections to and if I ever did live over there for a couple years I’ll definitely be playing, hopefully at a higher level,” Beljanski voiced.
Beljanski expanded his footballing expedition in 2022 when he became a coach at Football Star Academy Canberra, a leading provider of skill-based football programs in Australia.
“I used to play with my now bosses, Eric Bonnet and Danny Hately at White Eagles, and they saw that I had a good knowledge of the game with a keen competitiveness even at quite a young age and they decided when starting up their Football Star Academy here in Canberra that I would be suitable for the job and I love it,” Beljanski mentioned.
“I love to see all the kids grow and I think coaching still forces me to think back to the basics a lot, and even when I’m jumping in with drills, it helps me with my quick one touches, scanning as I’m thinking to myself, what do they need to know after this step, how can I help them become the best player possible, which all helps me become a better player because I need to think about these things myself,”
As he continues to form his footballing experience as both a coach and player, Beljanski will utilise his favourite sport in promoting perseverance, passion and community within his life.
Words: William Rumgay
