His grandparents and uncles all grew up with a football in their hand so rugby league clearly runs through the family's veins.
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But 11-year-old Leavi Deans will be the only player from the Macleay Valley set to represent the NSW North Coast PSSA rugby league side when he heads to Parkes next month.
The majority of the North Coast side are from the Cudgen and Tweed Heads areas with Leavi the only representative to be selected south of Grafton.
He only picked up a Steeden for the first time a little over 12 months ago before he then took the field for Smithtown Tigers.
Stepdad and Macleay Valley Mustangs stalwart Ant Cowan admitted he didn't think the youngster had realised yet what he had achieved.
"As a young kid I think it hasn't sunk in for him," he said.
"He always keeps saying to me and his mum that he is really proud, but when you make these schoolboy teams growing up, it is a massive achievement no matter what sport you play or for what team.
"It's all about having fun and building new relationships with other people from other schools in different areas. You can make lifelong friends out of it where you're not just in your comfort zone growing up around your area."
Cowan already has plans for Leavi in the future.
"I know I'll still be around as long as the club's around and he definitely will be at the Mustangs as he gets older," Cowan said.
"He comes to training with us, on game days he's always there and at home games he wants to be our ball boy.
"That's the way I started and that's the way I fell in love with the Mustangs. I just want to give him the direction that this is your home club now and hopefully one day you can put on that Mustangs jersey."
The family and club have already started fundraising to help with the cost of Leavi's accommodation and travel.
"We've successfully completed two 100 clubs and there are raffle tickets and we're going to do another 100 club," Cowan said.
"It does cost a bit of money and we've got some really great people around Leavi who have asked to support him which is a great achievement."
The team heads out to Parkes on June 7 for a three-day carnival.
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