Condell Park High School in NSW has played a pivotal role in the rise to glory for Superbowl winner, Jordan Mailata.
During a media interview in the lead-up to the 2025 American Superbowl, the Condell Park High School alumni gave a shout out to his former PE teacher, Mr Kieren Frappell, for steering him towards the path to a brilliant American football career, culminating in the Superbowl win.
Offensive tackler Jordan played a pivotal role for his Philadelphia Eagles team in its 40-22 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs in the Superbowl on Monday 10 February.
Condell Park High School students and staff cheered Jordan and his team on to victory with classroom televisions and big screens set up in the school hall to watch the game.
They roared every time the Eagles scored a touchdown and were ecstatic when the full-time whistle sounded, unlike two years ago when the Chiefs rained on Jordan’s parade and first Superbowl outing, inflicting a 38-35 defeat on the Eagles.
From Jordan’s early days at Condell Park High School, Mr Frappell said he felt that Jordan “had something special”.
“He was multi-talented – good at rugby league, rugby union and whatever he put his mind to,” Mr Frappell said.
“He played footy for the school, and I have memories of him running 60 metres with four or five guys on his back.
“Jordan was also an outstanding singer so he could probably do the half-time (Superbowl) show.”
Jordan sang for the former US President, Joe Biden, at the White House before Christmas in 2023. He chose the song, ‘This Christmas’ from the Eagles’ Christmas album, ‘A Philly Special Christmas Special’.
Director Educational Leadership for Bankstown, Ms Susie Mobayed, who was the principal at Condell Park High throughout Jordan’s school years, said he “sang like an angel” and was a great musician.
“He would take his guitar into the playground and just play guitar and sing,” she said.
“He sang in our performances but so did his brothers. They had a band, and they would sing together at school, so all four boys were quite musically talented.”
Like Mr Frappell, Ms Mobayed said Jordan was a standout from day one and “like a Pied Piper” at the school.
“It was his whole demeanour. He was witty, he had a great sense of humour and was into everything. All the other kids were drawn to him.”
Mr Frappell believes the genesis for Jordan’s American Football (NFL) career was an invitation he received for an athletics tour to the United States and Canada when he was in Year 11. The school helped him fundraise the money he needed to go on the tour.
And a few years later, the school and Mr Frapppell came to his aid again when Jordan’s rugby league career hit the crossroads.
“He was in the under 20s, but they weren’t sure if he was going to get a contract and there were some guys that I know who got involved in getting some video together and they got this video to the States and it just snowballed form there,” Mr Frappell said.
“He got invited over to do some draft-type testing and they loved what they saw; the way he could move for his size.”
Beyond the $100 million contract and Superbowl heroics, Ms Mobayed believes the Jordan Mailata story serves as an inspiration for the kids of south-western Sydney and beyond.
“It’s about having ambition and knowing that dreams do come true,” Ms Mobayed said.
“We’re in south-western Sydney, an ordinary public high school where kids try really hard to get somewhere and they see this young boy who went to their school and now look what he’s become.
“So, he’s become a role model for them. He inspires them and then they think, ‘Well maybe I can do something with my life, too’. It’s the best role modelling I’ve ever seen.”
