‘I would just love to see my boy achieve his dreams and to reach for the stars and make something of himself.’ Those were the words Kokatha woman Nikki Treloar used in May 2024 when she nominated her son, Zechariah ‘Zacky’ Amos, for a place in the prestigious Eddie Betts Foundation Football and Leadership Academy.
As a dedicated mum, Nikki knew better than anyone the football talent her son possessed. More importantly, she could see the drive, discipline and quiet determination he carried with him every day. What she did not know then was just how far that nomination would take him.
The journey began when Nikki saw a television story about AFL great Eddie Betts and his desire to give back to community by supporting young Aboriginal footballers.
After searching up the program, she was disappointed to see clinics were not being held in Port Augusta.
‘I asked Zacky if I should apply anyway,’ Nikki says. ‘He said, ‘No Mum, I won’t get picked.’ I think he was just shame, you know.’
Nikki applied anyway and thought little more of it until an email arrived inviting Zacky to a video interview with Eddie Betts himself. ‘Even then he was saying, ‘Mum, you’re doing this for nothing, I’m not going to get picked’,’ Nikki laughs.
But Zacky’s interview told a different story. Eddie Betts says Zacky showed a mix of humility, confidence and respect – qualities that stood out. Soon after the interview, Nikki received the message saying her son had been selected.
‘When I showed him, you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face,’ she says. ‘I told him, ‘See Zacky, you have to have faith’.’
Zacky was selected as one of 28 participants for the Eddie Betts Foundation Academy camp in Melbourne in April 2025. From the moment he stepped off the plane, his determination was clear.
‘Zacky’s leadership emerged naturally,’ says Eddie Betts. ‘He connected easily with his peers, contributed positively to a culture of respect and high standards, and brought energy and focus to everything he did.’
On the field, Zacky trained with intensity, attacking drills, using his voice, and pushing himself and those around him. His disciplined play, explosive speed, power and clean disposal did not go unnoticed.
In May, his selection for the Sir Doug Nicholls Round curtain-raiser between the Adelaide Crows and West Coast Eagles was almost inevitable. Playing on Adelaide Oval, Zacky helped lead the team to its first ever win, in front of family and friends and broadcast nationally on Fox Footy. It was during this time that conversations began about what might come next.
Later in Adelaide, Nikki and Zacky’s grandmother met with Eddie Betts Foundation staff to explore the idea further. While no immediate decisions were made, it was clear the door had opened.
Zacky returned to Melbourne for a final academy camp in September. By then, he knew what he wanted. ‘He had made up his mind,’ Nikki says. ‘He wanted to chase his dreams as far as they could take him.’
Interviews were arranged with Caulfield Grammar School, an educational partner of the Eddie Betts Foundation. Caulfield Grammar agreed to accept Zacky as a boarder for Years 11 and 12, offering a supportive learning environment that balances mainstream education with a dedicated classroom and teacher for Eddie Betts Foundation scholarship recipients.
Zacky will relocate to Melbourne in January next year. ‘It didn’t feel real for a long time,’ Nikki says. ‘He kept asking, ‘Am I actually going to be a Caulfield kid?’ Then we went over for a meet and greet and that’s when it finally sank in.’
Nikki applied for support through the Kokatha Aboriginal Corporation (KAC) Community Assistance Program, which will help meet any additional costs and formalises the strong community backing behind Zacky’s journey.
Zacky is the only Port Augusta boy to receive the scholarship this year, alongside recipients from Ceduna and Cairns. He is already forming strong bonds, sharing a room with a boy from Ceduna and embracing Eddie’s words that when you join the program, you become like brothers.
Football has always been part of Zacky’s life. ‘He has been playing since the day he could walk,’ Nikki reminisces. ‘He got his first footy boots when he was three and wore them every chance he could.’
Zacky’s first foray onto a footy field came when he was a toddler, running out with his Dad, Timmy, who led the South Augusta Under 18s onto the oval for their grand final. Since then, Zacky’s been by his Dad’s side at the club, raised by community, culture and connection.
When Zacky was 15 years old he made his A grade debut for South Augusta, the same age his Dad Timmy was, when he played his first A grade game for the club.
Now, supported by family, community, the Eddie Betts Foundation and KAC, Zacky comes a step closer every day to achieving his dreams and reaching for the stars.
