PANAJI
The Nuvem-based strapping lad represented his alma mater, Holy Rosary Convent High School, Nuvem, in handball at the State U-14, U-17 besides the Goa U-19 team as well. But prior to being a part of the State U-19 handball team, he had missed the camp earlier in the academic year. The precocious talent was only around 12 years then. When his well-known goal-keeper cousin, Luis Barreto queried why he was skipping the camp, Colaco stated that he had no interest in handball. Colaco added to say that he would like to be a footballer as his cousin and also play as a goal-keeper.
While he may have played football in school, the emphasis was in handball as it had the culture for the game. But after being put into summer football coaching by Barreto while only 12, his interest in football began to blossom while handball became a secondary option. At the football camp in Fatorda, Colaco came under the tutelage of Late coach Angela. A week later, legendary goal-keeper Brahmanand Sankhwalkar took him under his stead with the other custodians in his group being in their late teens.
He took to competitive football at 12 with Ave Maria, Benaulim at the U-14 level and in the same year represented the side at the U-17s too. The prodigy at the start of his teens moved to Fransa Pax of Nagoa to win the trophy for the side at the U-14 GFA tourney. That same year, Sesa Academy impressed by his talent at their trials inducted him for a two-year stint with their Junior side. In the second season, 2007-08, he was part of the victorious U-18, U-22 GFA tourneys. While at Sesa, he represented the victorious Goa U-21 side in the finals over Haryana as well.
He later graduated to the Senior side to feature with them for four years. While with the Senior side he played the Goa Pro League which became champions, he also debuted as a 17-year-old in the Federation Cup qualifiers against Gujarat Police in Ahmedabad. In his second year with the Senior team, he featured in 11 matches as the U-20 player. After completing his contract with Sesa, he joined Margao SC but within six months was taken on loan by Sporting Clube de Goa for the I-League. This move proved a catalyst to his football future as fate looked upon him kindly. He started between the sticks immediately as the fifth choice goal-keeper against Pune FC and his debut saw his 10-men down side held on for a draw. In the tournament, from the 11 matches he featured in, his first five matches produced clean-sheets. He then went on to be a part of Bengaluru FC in 2014 featuring in two matches for the victorious I-League side. Thereon he moved to Dempo SC for a season, and the following year switched allegiance to Salgaocar FC. This March, playing the Santosh Trophy for Goa in front of a home audience he stood out with his glove-work so much so that he was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
Based on his impressive performances under the horizontal in the season gone by, The Football Edge included his name for the ISL Draft that was held on July 23. "I was confident on being selected by one of the teams as I had won the Goa league (with Salgaocar FC) and was also the Best Goalkeeper of the Santosh Trophy, revealed Colaco. But with a dream to be a part of FC Goa coming true, the new gaur stated that He was pretty excited on receiving the good news and called up his parents and cousin and fellow goalkeeper Barreto to convey the same.
He may have played his part with Sporting turning their fortunes drastically around as their fifth-choice keeper. If making the most of fate and opportunity as a yardstick with sheer hard-work and utmost determination in the goal is of good measure, he may well do it again. The gaurs definitely have a good back-up plan who can be relied upon to grab an opportunity with both hands, literally!
