‘They weren’t very happy when they found out’: Why a Muslim footy star had to keep his talent hidden from his family – and how it took his dad two years to take him to training
- Richmond star Bachar Houli was not allowed to play sport during his youth
- Houli would sneak around his parents, attending AFL games and trainings
- His Muslim parents didn’t approve and took years before they would watch him
An AFL star has revealed that he had to keep his talent hidden from his family who didn’t approve of playing football.
Growing up in a Muslim family, Bachar Houli, 31, a defender for the Richmond Tigers, used to get secretly picked up by his football coach and driven to games, without hs parents knowing.
After realising he could pursue football as a career, Houli’s father slowly came around to the idea but it took two years before he would watch his son play.
Bachar Houli (pictured with his wife) used to pretend he was seeing friends when he was attending AFL trainings because his Muslim parents didn’t allow it
Houli was only 11-years-old when he used to tell his parents he was seeing friends at the park when he was actually attending training sessions for his local club.
‘I was one of those kids that was pretending to go to the local park and having a kick with my friends in the neighbourhood, but I was going to training and then on the weekends you’d get up nice and early and get the coach to pick you up from the corner block,’ Houli told the Herald Sun.
Houli’s parents migrated from Lebanon in the 70s and had placed a strong emphasis on study for their children.
His older brother had inspired him to chase his dream as he too played for the local football team.
After receiving a handful of trophies from an end of season presentation night, Houli’s secret was out.
Houli said it took years for his parents to come around to the idea that he would pursue a career in AFL
‘We were sitting in the lounge and everyone saw it — they weren’t too happy about it,’ he said.
His family didn’t take the matter lightly and it would be years before he would gain their support at games.
Houli said his father Malek would occasionally come to watch his son play, in between working as a taxi driver in Melbourne.
By the age of 14, Houli had finally won his father’s approval, but his mother while supportive, wouldn’t come to watch his games.
‘It was after two years that he fully supported what I was doing, and would take me to training, pick me up and he would stop his taxi for a week and come and support me interstate when I was playing in the national championships,’ Houli said.
Houli said that the sport was predominantly anglo-saxon, and the possibility that he could get bullied for being different worried his parents.
Houli said that was never an issue for him and made his professional debut in 2006 for Essendon.
Houli is now a father to two daughters, Sarah, 5, and Maryam, 1, with his wife Rouba Abou-Zeid.
Houli (pictured) made his professional debut in 2006 for Essendon and now plays for the Richmond Tigers