Soccer boots, costume, make-up.
That was Xander Telford's "to-do" list on Saturday as he prepared for his under-12s soccer match against Numurkah Knights.
The 11-year-old Goulburn Valley Grammar School student had so far managed to successfully juggle both his passions — soccer and theatre.
But last Saturday's game clashed with his matinee appearance in Initial Stages’ production of the musical Moana, based on the Disney 3D animated film.
Rather than miss out, or let his team mates down, Xander did what all showbusiness people do. He made sure the show went on.
The matinee finished at 3 pm and his soccer game started at 3.30 pm.
He had half an hour to get out of his Moana costume, grab his soccer gear and jump in his mum Rochelle's car for the mad dash from Mooroopna's WestSide Performing Arts Centre to north Shepparton's John McEwen Reserve soccer fields in time for kick-off.
Xander made it, but with a slight snag.
His face was still caked in stage make-up.
So he put on his bravest Chief Ancestor Moana face and joined the on-field action.
He said his team mates didn't even notice his extra-rosy cheeks and eyeshadow.
“I didn't have any time to take it off, but nobody cared anyway,” he said.
Rochelle said Xander's older brother Austin was the only one who noticed.
“I had to tell him to stop reminding Xander — it might give him a complex,” she said.
After the match, there was another rush to get back to Mooroopna by 5 pm for the evening performance of Moana.
Xander shrugged off the make-up saga as all part of the drama of theatre and sport.
The combination worked; his team won 6-1.