The Australian cousins plucked from obscurity to chase gridiron dreams
By Billie Eder
When 16-year-old cousins Daetyn Dean and Jobe Tuafale returned home from American football try-outs last month and announced they’d been offered fully funded scholarships to play in the United States, it sounded too good to be true.
“We didn’t think much would come from it [the trial] because he’s so new to the sport, and there’s a lot of talent out there,” admitted Jobe’s mum Renee Tuteru.
Renee Tuteru with her son Jobe Tuafale (left) and Maria Barrett with her son Daetyn Dean (right).Credit: Nick Moir
“So when he did come home, and Jobe and his father said that Ray Stowers, the coach of the Layton Christian Academy (LCA) football [school] team, approached them and said he’d love for Jobe and his cousin [Daetyn] to join the team [it was unbelievable].”
Daetyn’s mum Maria Barrett wanted something in writing to prove it wasn’t some kind of elaborate hoax.
“We asked them first, is this real? Because at the trial he [Ray Stowers] said ‘I want these two, make it happen’,” Maria said.
For Jobe and Daetyn, the past four weeks have been a whirlwind as they wrap up their lives in Australia and swap it for the American dream.
On Monday, the Queensland pair boarded flight DL 40 to Los Angeles for the first leg of their journey on to Utah, where they have taken up scholarships to play American football at LCA.
Jobe and Daetyn are the first boys to be recruited as part of Gridiron Australia’s ‘The Search’ - a program that targets Australian athletes.
After paying a $70 admission fee into the program and participating in a trial session in Brisbane, Jobe and Daetyn will be in Utah for the next two years, with the hope of landing a fully funded college scholarship.
Renee and Maria will be along for the ride as they settle their boys in for the start of the school year in September.
Chief executive of Gridiron Australia, Wade Kelly. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
Rather than letting it go to their heads, the boys are humbled by the experience and admit the hard work hasn’t started.
“I only started getting into the sport last year, so I’m still kind of a rookie,” Jobe said.
“I’m still learning, progressing, so there’s still much to do.”
Chief executive of Gridiron Australia, Wade Kelly, said the experience was about more than just playing football, it’s an opportunity to change their lives.
“They go into year 11 over there, so the opportunity now is first academically to position themselves really well to get entry into a US college,” Kelly said.
“They’re so supportive over there with their academics, and they’re so hot on it,it’s a great opportunity to improve academically,” Kelly said.
“And then the other thing is they have two years to best prep themselves to get a college scholarship through football, which is valued up to $500,000. It will change their lives. They come out with a degree and no debt. Anything on top of that is a bonus.”
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