Jamie Duncan likes to feel like he’s contributing.
And the 26-year-old Englishman is certainly contributing both on the field for Port United just as much as he is when he puts the emergency service uniform on.
When Duncan takes his boots off on Saturday evening he prepares to spend time during the week studying to be a paramedic.
He also works at Fire and Rescue NSW.
“You’ve got to do something where you can help out and being in a team culture and working with that sort of stuff is a good environment to be in,” he said.
“I was a firefighter before, am transitioning to be a paramedic now and while being a firey is good, there’s a lot of waiting around and at times a lot of nothing.”
While Duncan enjoys different aspects of firefighting, it is the patient interaction and aspects of patient care that drew him to the ambulance service.
The United central midfielder moved to Australia 10 years ago after he visited his father and was instantly drawn to the friendliness of the culture as well as the ease of living.
That’s a lot to like about a destination when you’re a 16-year-old who has just finished school.
“There’s the ability to jump in the car and you’re in a ridiculously beautiful place within half an hour of wherever you live,” he said.
A conversation with fellow new boy Mitch Higgins at university saw the duo head to United training before the start of the 2021 Coastal Premier League season.
They didn’t take long to fit in.
“It’s the first time playing football again in about five years,” Duncan said.
“I had a couple of kick arounds with Mitch Higgins who is also at the uni and we spurred each other on and said it’s time to kick a ball about again.”
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