DANIEL Baumgartner might not have received the sunniest welcome to Bathurst on Tuesday but it didn't dampen the Californian's enthusiasm for the upcoming season of NSW Premier Leagues 4 football for Western NSW FC.
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The 21-year-old arrived in the city for his first training session with the team just four days out from the start of the season this Saturday in Lithgow, keen to meet his new teammates and get to grips with the team's system.
Baumgartner's semi-professional experience in the United States will be a much welcome boost for the Western men who are on a mission to earn promotion back into the third tier of the NSW competition for 2021.
"I aspire to be a professional and this is a great starting point," he said.
"I've been playing for about 17 years and pursuing many different avenues in states across the US. I played in Maryland for D2 soccer and then semi-professionally across the states before coming here."
Baumgartner's recent endeavours include a 2017 stint with the Baltimore Kings before a highly successful two-year run in Nevada with Coyotes FC in the United Premier Soccer League.
He's come across to Australia fresh off a campaign in his home state with the High Desert Elite in the National Premier Soccer League, playing fourth division.
An American academy program helped connect Baumgartner with Western NSW FC and he's eager to help deliver results for a team on a comeback mission.
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"I have a connection through Soccer Smart who help players get opportunities all across the world, and Australia is their biggest advocate," he said.
"Mark [Rooke, coach] gave me the opportunity to come out here and prove it to everyone that I'm here to play.
"I play all over the place though my main place is centre defensive mid, but I'm capable of playing all over the pitch with a good knowledge of the game.
"I'm expecting hard training and for things to be intense. We're looking to make a push to the finals and that's the expectation that's been laid out for me."
Baumgartner is one of two major acquisitions for Western this season along with Queensland native Tom Miller.
Western finished at the bottom of the NPL3 ladder last season with a record of three wins, two draws and 21 losses.
Their under 20s side fared in similar fashion with a 13th place result although signs were promising for the under 18s who ended their season in seventh.
Western start their season against Parramatta FC this Saturday afternoon from 4pm at Marjorie Jackson Field.