Calsher Dear, the son of AFL veteran Paul Dear, shares his emotions upon scoring his first goal with his father’s Hawthorn Hawks following his father’s death from cancer…
Calsher Dear has reminisced about the poignant moment he scored his first goal for his late father’s squad.
In May, the 18-year-old made his Hawthorn Hawks debut, making his dad pleased by hitting two goals in the team’s triumph over the Western Bulldogs. Paul Dear was the late AFL legend’s son.
‘I think about Dad all the time. But at times like that, I truly sense his presence, the teenage athlete said this week to Stellar Magazine.
The key position forward continued, “It felt euphoric and it was extra motivation to do him proud.”
Norm Smith medallist Paul’s widow, Calsher’s mother Cherie, described watching her son from the stands as a “surreal” event.
She remarked of her friends and family that watched the game, “We were cheering and crying at the same time.”
“I was really impressed with Calsher’s poise; he had a lot of pressure going into the game, but he had the same mental toughness as his father.”
“My emotional release valve just went off because I was so happy.” But there was also a profound melancholy. Paul ought to have been present as well, giving Calsher a pat on the back and expressing his pride in him.
