Joel Carter probably couldn't ask, at this stage of his soccer development, for a better education than the one he is getting as part of a red-hot Oxley Vale Attunga side.
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The Northern Inland Premier Division frontrunners underlined their title favourtism on Saturday with a 10-nil demolition of Moore Creek.
Mitchell O'Keefe was on fire slotting five goals including a first-half brace as the Mushies led 4-nil at half-time.
Carter joined the club this season after playing the last two years with North Companions.
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"Bowdo (Nick Bowden) came over and I went to a couple of training sessions and they offered me a spot in the FFA Cup game and I decided to take it," he said.
It has turned out to be a judicious decision with the 17-year old learning a lot from playing alongside the Mushies' old-guard.
"It's been very good playing with these boys, I've learnt to play better and play harder," Carter said.
"It's a bit different to playing with Northies, it's a different style, but it's good to learn their style."
In Year 11 at Carinya, Carter followed his older brother Fin into the sport.
"He was always playing soccer so I always wanted to play with him," he said.
Now in his third season of premier league football, he is starting to feel a lot more comfortable in the senior environment.
"Last year I played a couple of games in first grade and it was a bit hairy but this year has been pretty good," he said.
He has been playing first grade all year, predominantly at right-mid, and Mushies coach Tim Coates said "doesn't look like moving out of it".
The veteran mentor said Carter "is a great kid".
"He plays wherever you ask him to, does whatever you want him to," he said.
Carter said Saturday was "pretty good" although they "probably should have put a couple more (goals) on".
"We played well all the way to the end, which is what you want to do," he said.
"Every now and then we peter out at the end."
Adam Watson also chipped in with a double, Will Menz, Jack Diebold and Benn Gennardini also finding the net.
One of the Mushies' returning stars this season Gennardini had been playing reserve grade until the last three games.
"He came back to play reserves, found that he was probably fitter than he has been in the last 10 years and I said to him 'do you want to play this? (first grade) and he said yeah," Coates said.
He has been a welcome addition.
"He's done a remarkable job, unlocks defences and got the left foot that some of the other players don't have," he said.
