Ethan Woods embraces his faith and soars

The 18-year-old Tamworthian was negotiating the travails of year 11, beset by depression and anxiety, when he had an epiphany.

"Eventually it clicked that I was missing God in my life," he said. "Through my struggles He was basically calling me to Him and saying, 'You need me in your life.'"

Last year, Woods - tall and boasting a glorious mane of wavy brown hair - realised he was missing something else in his life.

Read more: Kirk wears his faith on his sleeve

The Carinya Christian School alumnus remedied that by this year joining Hillvue Rovers, who have a host of players who go to his church, Trinity, including his younger brother Brandon and the side's coach and assistant coach, Corey Anderson and John Kirk.

He joined the club from North Companions.

"Just being at a club where a lot of people have the same purpose and reason to play, I think it's a huge thing," he said, adding: "We play hard to bring glory to God."

Weather permitting, eighth-placed Hillvue will confront seventh-placed Demon Knights in Armidale on Saturday.

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Woods is a teacher's aide at Carinya Christian School, the only school he had known until beginning his online teaching degree at UNE this year. He aims to become a secondary school maths teacher and work at CCS.

His mother, Sue, is a teacher there while his father, Paul, once worked in the school's IT department.

"It's very familiar," Woods said of CCS. "It almost feels like family."

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