Hamilton teenager Marco Rojas has been awarded the 2009 Yellow Fever Youth Scholarship. The annual scholarship, established in 2008 by Wellington Phoenix supporters' club Yellow Fever, was created to give promising young footballers the opportunity to spend time in a professional club environment with Phoenix.

 Rojas, 17, will spend a week training with Phoenix ahead of their Hyundai A-League 2009/10 campaign. The scholarship covers all associated travel, accommodation and equipment costs and is fully funded by the Phoenix fan club.

Yellow Fever spokesman David Cross said the scholarship had been developed to foster the next generation of promising New Zealand footballers. It was unique in that a private supporters' group had teamed with a professional club to make the scholarship possible.

 "It's fantastic to be able to work with the Phoenix on this," Cross said. "The fans get to put something into the club they love and provide an opportunity for a young New Zealand footballer to live his dream. As far as we have been able to ascertain, this is the only fan-sponsored youth trial in football anywhere in the world."

Rojas is a member of the Waikato FC senior squad in the New Zealand Football Championship. He has also played for Hamilton Wanderers and trialled with German clubs Werder Bremen, Hanover and Borussia Monchengladbach.

The attacking midfielder said the scholarship was a great chance for him to further develop his promising career.

"Wellington Phoenix is a club I love and the scholarship will be a huge step toward achieving my ambition of becoming a full-time professional footballer. What Yellow Fever and Phoenix are doing for me is fantastic and I'm really looking forward to experiencing a week in a professional set-up." 

Wellington Phoenix coach Ricki Herbert said the scholarship was a wonderful initiative the club supported whole-heartedly.

"Yellow Fever has done a great job in helping raise the profile of football in New Zealand and this scholarship is testament to the group's commitment and ambition to ensure the game continues its remarkable growth.

"We're thrilled to be involved and I'm really looking forward to seeing young Marco in action. I'm certain he'll benefit immensely from the experience."

The inaugural winner of the Yellow Fever scholarship, Daniel Finlay, went on to play in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team and made his NZFC debut with Waikato FC this season.

Yellow Fever is a main sponsor of  local NZFC team Team Wellington and as well as organising various fund-raisers for various causes and producing their own merchandise sold through their website at http://www.yellowfever.co.nz, they contribute to one of the loudest atmospheres at any A-League ground with their chanting at Westpac Stadium.