TOBY Westcott is the ultimate sporting jack-of-all-trades.
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Westcott has multiple state, national and world muay thai titles, multiple junior rugby league premierships, boxing medals, softball accolades and has excelled at touch football as well.
Now the 14-year-old has made the decision to focus solely on league after being selected in the North Sydney Bears NSWRL Harold Matthews Cup squad.
“It was a tough decision to make,” Westcott explained.
“I’m calling it an ‘extended break’ from martial arts, but I’d like to try and make a go of it in rugby league so I need to focus on that.”
The NSWRL HMC is an under 16s competition and includes both junior representative teams of NRL clubs, and academies who are not represented in the elite competition.
Westcott said despite putting in plenty of hard work his selection was a still a shock.
“It was surprising, but it’s a huge opportunity,” Westcott said.
“I’ve been working hard for it for a while so it is nice to get the reward.”
Westcott credited his martial arts background as a massive drawcard for selectors, saying his fitness base is naturally high. He still conceded training is different to what he is used to.
“We get absolutely flogged at training,” he said.
“My aerobic base from martial arts has definitely helped me but it is still very tough.”
North Sydney coach Zaf Maslo said Westcott has put himself in good stead for selection in the final squad.
“He is still a year young for the age group,” Maslo explained.
“But he’s committed, willing to learn and works very hard. He has only been named in the squad of 26, and there will be some changes after our trial against the [St George] Dragons, but he is looking good.
“He’s ticking all the right boxes for us