August 13, 2025 • 8 mins
College footballer Archie Wilson has gone viral for his emotional and heartfelt response about missing his family back in Australia. We spoke with his parents to learn more about his upbringing and the emotional challenges they face having their teenage son pursuing his dreams overseas.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Fits In with Kate Richie podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Let's talk about this amazing footage. It came out yesterday.
This young boy from Melbourne fits Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I got really emotional watching this. Archie Wilson. Archie Wilson
is his name. And for anyone that's out there, look,
the NFL is probably the biggest sport in the world.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
It's massive, the amount of money that's behind it.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
And you know what, we're very lucky that AFL has
been producing some unbelievable punters that have gone on to
have amazing careers. Ben Graham was one of them back
in the day. I think he was the first to
do it. But if you can work on your kicking
from a young age and get over there, oh yeah,
NFL clubs are picking up Australian young Australian men and
(00:44):
they're getting paid a lot of money. This guy is
eighteen years of age. His name's Archie Wilson. He's over
there doing very very well and he is going to
be trying out for Nebraska. So he's over there yesterday
and he was asked in a press conference how he's
feeling and what's it like being away from mom and
(01:05):
dad back home?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
So I'm eighteen right now. So what's it like being
the first time you're away from them? Yeah, that part's hard.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I mean, I'm sorry. Yeah, I love it a lot. Yeah,
I got two little brothers and a mum and dady. Yeah,
that's the tough part about being here. I love them
a lot and I missed them. But it's I mean,
(01:36):
they know this is what's best for me, and it's
let's go. I can still talk to them plenty of
the phone, and they're coming here to see the first
first few games, so I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
What a huge moment for an eighteen year old kid.
And we've tracked down his mum and dad, Lee and
Jess from Frankston down in Melbourne now and they join us.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Lee and Jess, welcome play guys.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Hey, I've got.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
To be the sny true.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I'm just kind of feeling that Artie might have put
this on because the entire world has fallen in love
with him, and I know, I know that.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
His social media has gone through the roof.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
He does miss you, and it's true emotion, Is that, right,
Lee and Jess?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
Yes, well I shouldn't say sadly, but yeah, that is
that is the truth. That's that's him being him.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
What a beautiful moment.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I mean, obviously you know him better than anybody else,
but what a what an opportunity. I suppose that's what
he's realizing in the heart of the moment. But he
has he spoken to you about feeling homesick.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
So not to not to sort of kill the story
of homestick, I just I sort of mentioned that one
of the TV shais last night. It's I think homestick
is when you're sort of stuck in the place where
you really don't want to be and you're miserable, And
he's actually extremely happy. He's just he's just really missing
his family, if.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
That makes sense.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
Yeah, And I think we talk every day and obviously
we're going to oversee him in probably ten or eleven days,
been probably two and a half months now and probably
just hit a peak just right and provided that moment.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Jess, can you tell us how long has he been
over there for? Because I mean, these kids now they're starting.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
From an early age. You go over there, you go into.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The high school system, the college system, hoping to be
picked up by an NFL team, Like, is his schedule ridiculous?
The amount of training that he's doing.
Speaker 7 (03:25):
Yeah, at the moment he's in full camp, so it's
pretty hectic for him. He's up at the training facility
by six point thirty in the morning and then he
gets back to his dorm about ten o'clock at night,
so it's pretty long days. And he's still studying doing
academics in that as well. So yeah, he's pretty it's
pretty crazy. It's pretty tiring for him, but he's he's
handling it quite well.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
So and Jess, the aim is to be a kicker,
is that correct?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Yeah, Puna, Pump Hunt, Sorry Pump.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So guys, you know when he's back playing AFL back
home in Frankston, he's like, I mean, he's obviously showing
a little bit of talent, but did you is he
just a stand out when it comes to punting Lee
Like he just he can kick the ball an absolute mile.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
He was a key back at Hayleibury with Lloydy and Penlebury,
the coaches there, and that was his there was his
sort of main thing off the back line was to
you know, to help the wingers with on the on
the run and he was kicking was probably his real
sort of strong point and across the other parts of football,
but that was his real probably stand out, and I
(04:29):
guess he sat down and thought about it and said, well,
how do I sort of utilize that tool? And he
looked up the punting thing went there. And then they
sort of pulled us aside after the first training and
said this and this, this kid's pretty special.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
We need to get in the program and horse.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
And we'll get him in this. We'll get him into
a big university. And obviously the parents are a little
bit unsure what you're what you're hearing because you don't
know how to compare it or you know. But then
everything that as a pro kick have said have come
have come true in you know, without without a wout,
skipping a beat. It's been impressive.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Have you guys been over there? Can you tell us
what the facilities are like? Like the amount of money
that goes into the NFL, it's has it blown you away?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yes? Like what's surrounding.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
Him, it's ridiculous.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
I don't think any of the a f L clubs
in Australia would have facilities like they do over there,
Like he's getting fed meals the training table or the
buffet is ridiculous.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
The recovery rooms, Stauners bars.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
Medicales in there, next level crazy, Who's who's the biggest
star that he's run into?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Guys that just blew him away?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Is there anyone that he's gone, oh my god, how
am I in the same room with this person?
Speaker 7 (05:43):
There's been a few, but you don't even know who
they are.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
He was, Oh, he won a guy that prints someone
I can't think of his name. He won a he
won a super Bowl and he came down to the
facility and he wanted to catch catch some of Archies
punts and put on his Instagram. And he's had spars
with an extended that the big spa they had with
an extra. Couple of NFL players have come down to
try at the facility, and so yeah, there's always there's
(06:10):
always someone big walking through the joint.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Do you know what's amazing too? When you see these
blokes and they got their shirt off. They're just massive guys.
So they're ripped and their fit as they come. How
tall is Archie?
Speaker 6 (06:20):
He's six y two, right, it's about he was. He
turns fifteen pounds, it's about nine ninety eight kilos.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Oh man, it's you know, I'm so excited for Archie.
It's a long way from Frankston and this is it
he's on.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Can you can you give us a bit of an
idea if he gets a contract, Like, I mean, what
what do they get the punts first up? I mean,
what are we looking at around about Lee and Jest
the average.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Well, he's being a starter. It's all a bit like
to give you an idea. The guy that left his
UNI for Archie to come in to un and he
picked up about one hundred thousand US as a starting payment,
which is which is probably above the starting salary, but
of here, but he's sort of still organizing that, like
(07:08):
he's not really doing it getting any funny at the moment.
He's just obviously there to he's Kevin. He's paid for
and covered for him for the accommodation and all their
expenses and stuff. So he wants for nothing. But I
guess they'll work out that stuff as he goes.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Really personal question after the tears on camera yesterday, I'll
tell you what. There's been a hell of a lot
of interest from the girls around the office.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Does he have a girlfriend?
Speaker 6 (07:35):
I don't think it'll be too far away.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Make it plural.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Well, well, there's about thirty thousand unique students about to
come back into campus in about two weeks time.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Oh yeah, Jess, you don't want his mates from Frankston
guard over there.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
That could be a rabble as well, couldn't it.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Oh look, yeah, sure, I'll have a bit of fun,
but him do what they want to do.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Send everyone from Frankston now there's a party.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
I'll be careful speaking for him, but he's pretty focused
on the task. He's got a hand for his first
few games and just just sort of cementing that that
position there, I think.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
So I love what a great story. This is awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Well, this is an amazing story.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Can you send all our best to Archie and we
appreciate your time.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
We know you've been busy this morning. Land Jess, thank
you right, thanks for your time.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Go take it easy.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It's Whipper with Kate Ritchie is a Nova podcast to
walk great shows like this.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Download the Nova player, find the app store or Google
Play in the
This is the Fits In with Kate Richie podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Let's talk about this amazing footage. It came out yesterday.
This young boy from Melbourne fits Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
I got really emotional watching this. Archie Wilson. Archie Wilson
is his name. And for anyone that's out there, look,
the NFL is probably the biggest sport in the world.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
It's massive, the amount of money that's behind it.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
And you know what, we're very lucky that AFL has
been producing some unbelievable punters that have gone on to
have amazing careers. Ben Graham was one of them back
in the day. I think he was the first to
do it. But if you can work on your kicking
from a young age and get over there, oh yeah,
NFL clubs are picking up Australian young Australian men and
(00:44):
they're getting paid a lot of money. This guy is
eighteen years of age. His name's Archie Wilson. He's over
there doing very very well and he is going to
be trying out for Nebraska. So he's over there yesterday
and he was asked in a press conference how he's
feeling and what's it like being away from mom and
(01:05):
dad back home?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
So I'm eighteen right now. So what's it like being
the first time you're away from them? Yeah, that part's hard.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I mean, I'm sorry. Yeah, I love it a lot. Yeah,
I got two little brothers and a mum and dady. Yeah,
that's the tough part about being here. I love them
a lot and I missed them. But it's I mean,
(01:36):
they know this is what's best for me, and it's
let's go. I can still talk to them plenty of
the phone, and they're coming here to see the first
first few games, so I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
What a huge moment for an eighteen year old kid.
And we've tracked down his mum and dad, Lee and
Jess from Frankston down in Melbourne now and they join us.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Lee and Jess, welcome play guys.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Hey, I've got.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
To be the sny true.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I'm just kind of feeling that Artie might have put
this on because the entire world has fallen in love
with him, and I know, I know that.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
His social media has gone through the roof.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
He does miss you, and it's true emotion, Is that, right,
Lee and Jess?
Speaker 6 (02:15):
Yes, well I shouldn't say sadly, but yeah, that is
that is the truth. That's that's him being him.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
What a beautiful moment.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I mean, obviously you know him better than anybody else,
but what a what an opportunity. I suppose that's what
he's realizing in the heart of the moment. But he
has he spoken to you about feeling homesick.
Speaker 6 (02:35):
So not to not to sort of kill the story
of homestick, I just I sort of mentioned that one
of the TV shais last night. It's I think homestick
is when you're sort of stuck in the place where
you really don't want to be and you're miserable, And
he's actually extremely happy. He's just he's just really missing
his family, if.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
That makes sense.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
Yeah, And I think we talk every day and obviously
we're going to oversee him in probably ten or eleven days,
been probably two and a half months now and probably
just hit a peak just right and provided that moment.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Jess, can you tell us how long has he been
over there for? Because I mean, these kids now they're starting.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
From an early age. You go over there, you go into.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
The high school system, the college system, hoping to be
picked up by an NFL team, Like, is his schedule ridiculous?
The amount of training that he's doing.
Speaker 7 (03:25):
Yeah, at the moment he's in full camp, so it's
pretty hectic for him. He's up at the training facility
by six point thirty in the morning and then he
gets back to his dorm about ten o'clock at night,
so it's pretty long days. And he's still studying doing
academics in that as well. So yeah, he's pretty it's
pretty crazy. It's pretty tiring for him, but he's he's
handling it quite well.
Speaker 5 (03:45):
So and Jess, the aim is to be a kicker,
is that correct?
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Yeah, Puna, Pump Hunt, Sorry Pump.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So guys, you know when he's back playing AFL back
home in Frankston, he's like, I mean, he's obviously showing
a little bit of talent, but did you is he
just a stand out when it comes to punting Lee
Like he just he can kick the ball an absolute mile.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:08):
He was a key back at Hayleibury with Lloydy and Penlebury,
the coaches there, and that was his there was his
sort of main thing off the back line was to
you know, to help the wingers with on the on
the run and he was kicking was probably his real
sort of strong point and across the other parts of football,
but that was his real probably stand out, and I
(04:29):
guess he sat down and thought about it and said, well,
how do I sort of utilize that tool? And he
looked up the punting thing went there. And then they
sort of pulled us aside after the first training and
said this and this, this kid's pretty special.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
We need to get in the program and horse.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
And we'll get him in this. We'll get him into
a big university. And obviously the parents are a little
bit unsure what you're what you're hearing because you don't
know how to compare it or you know. But then
everything that as a pro kick have said have come
have come true in you know, without without a wout,
skipping a beat. It's been impressive.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Have you guys been over there? Can you tell us
what the facilities are like? Like the amount of money
that goes into the NFL, it's has it blown you away?
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Yes? Like what's surrounding.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
Him, it's ridiculous.
Speaker 8 (05:13):
I don't think any of the a f L clubs
in Australia would have facilities like they do over there,
Like he's getting fed meals the training table or the
buffet is ridiculous.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
The recovery rooms, Stauners bars.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
Medicales in there, next level crazy, Who's who's the biggest
star that he's run into?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Guys that just blew him away?
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Is there anyone that he's gone, oh my god, how
am I in the same room with this person?
Speaker 7 (05:43):
There's been a few, but you don't even know who
they are.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
He was, Oh, he won a guy that prints someone
I can't think of his name. He won a he
won a super Bowl and he came down to the
facility and he wanted to catch catch some of Archies
punts and put on his Instagram. And he's had spars
with an extended that the big spa they had with
an extra. Couple of NFL players have come down to
try at the facility, and so yeah, there's always there's
(06:10):
always someone big walking through the joint.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Do you know what's amazing too? When you see these
blokes and they got their shirt off. They're just massive guys.
So they're ripped and their fit as they come. How
tall is Archie?
Speaker 6 (06:20):
He's six y two, right, it's about he was. He
turns fifteen pounds, it's about nine ninety eight kilos.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Oh man, it's you know, I'm so excited for Archie.
It's a long way from Frankston and this is it
he's on.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Can you can you give us a bit of an
idea if he gets a contract, Like, I mean, what
what do they get the punts first up? I mean,
what are we looking at around about Lee and Jest
the average.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
Well, he's being a starter. It's all a bit like
to give you an idea. The guy that left his
UNI for Archie to come in to un and he
picked up about one hundred thousand US as a starting payment,
which is which is probably above the starting salary, but
of here, but he's sort of still organizing that, like
(07:08):
he's not really doing it getting any funny at the moment.
He's just obviously there to he's Kevin. He's paid for
and covered for him for the accommodation and all their
expenses and stuff. So he wants for nothing. But I
guess they'll work out that stuff as he goes.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Really personal question after the tears on camera yesterday, I'll
tell you what. There's been a hell of a lot
of interest from the girls around the office.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Does he have a girlfriend?
Speaker 6 (07:35):
I don't think it'll be too far away.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Make it plural.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Well, well, there's about thirty thousand unique students about to
come back into campus in about two weeks time.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Oh yeah, Jess, you don't want his mates from Frankston
guard over there.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
That could be a rabble as well, couldn't it.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
Oh look, yeah, sure, I'll have a bit of fun,
but him do what they want to do.
Speaker 5 (08:01):
Send everyone from Frankston now there's a party.
Speaker 6 (08:03):
I'll be careful speaking for him, but he's pretty focused
on the task. He's got a hand for his first
few games and just just sort of cementing that that
position there, I think.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
So I love what a great story. This is awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Well, this is an amazing story.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Can you send all our best to Archie and we
appreciate your time.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
We know you've been busy this morning. Land Jess, thank
you right, thanks for your time.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
Go take it easy.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
It's Whipper with Kate Ritchie is a Nova podcast to
walk great shows like this.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Download the Nova player, find the app store or Google
Play in the
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