Ryan Thiesz bags hattrick on Ballarat City debut after giving up footy

Having played Aussie rules for his entire childhood, the move to the round ball was always going to be something foreign and exciting.

Thiesz would have walked away from his Ballarat City under 19 debut grinning with just a win to his name.

So, even he admits bagging three goals the first time he graced a soccer pitch came as a surprise.

"I would have been happy scoring one, or maybe assisting one or just playing some small part in the day. It was fantastic," Thiesz said.

"The opportunities just presented themselves, and I was really glad to have been in those positions and to have had great teammates around me."

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Thiesz started playing footy at nine-years-old and worked his way up through the ranks.

He had a crack in the NAB League system, played in Redan's 2019 under 19 premiership and even donned Hepburn's colours for a few games last year.

Eventually, Thiesz fell out of love with the game.

"I just wasn't a big fan of footy at all. I sort of outgrew it," he said.

"I was a part of the NAB League system and things like that, and I decided with the way it was all happening, I didn't want to be a part of it.

"I first went back to local footy and then decided I wasn't enjoying it that much either.

"So I decided to give soccer a crack, and it was the best decision I've ever made.

"It's been absolutely brilliant, and I couldn't have asked for a better club to be a part of. From day one, everyone got around me."

Thiesz said he was drawn to the technical aspect of soccer.

"You can really use your attributes to your advantage, and it's a really fun and creative game," he said.

"I just admire how technically gifted some players are and how well they can move the ball and make it go wherever they want."

Thiesz's feats pushed Ballarat City to a 5-0 win. City next plays Box Hill United on April 17.

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