Macarthur FC defender Tomislav Uskok prayed the rosary for the first time in his parents’ bathroom nearly a decade ago.
“I hid in there, probably out of embarrassment,” he recalled.
“In the Croatian community, like most ethnic communities in the Catholic faith, we had rosaries around the house. Did I ever pray it? No.
“But I found one then and felt compelled to, though I didn’t know how to pray it. I had a small booklet with all the mysteries and the steps and I just sat there.”
Tomi’s often looked up to players like his hero Mark Viduka for inspiration on the field, but since that day has added divine inspiration from his faith, through Mary.
The father of four prays the rosary daily and prefers to dedicate his prayers before games to loved ones, other players and souls in purgatory instead of just asking for the three points (though that’s always a nice bonus).
He’s also the face behind Beaded Armour, Tomi’s apostolate based in Sydney creating customised rosary beads out of paracord army rope and metal crucifixes, beads and medals.
The lead-up to October, the month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, is one of the busiest times of year for Tomi.
He’s currently preparing for the start of the upcoming A-League Men’s season next month but is also flat out making rosaries.
“Our Lady has called me to it—to get closer to her son was going to be through her. This is just a way to help other men experience her love too,” Tomi said.
Tomi founded Beaded Armour during the COVID lockdowns in 2021 after a friend sent his daughter a jewellery craft kit. Together, they repurposed the equipment to make a rosary together.
“I had a paracord rosary from America at the time, which I loved. It was an elite, heavy-duty rosary and felt like a real spiritual weapon, and we tried to emulate that.”
He began to research where to find material and equipment to make more.
“I just made one, and then another one, and another one.”
Tomi’s single-handedly crafted more than 2,000 customised rosaries since for fellow teammates and for friends, family or anyone that comes across his Facebook and Instagram with special requests.
His rosaries have even made their way to the Vatican, blessed last June by Pope Francis during a Papal audience for the Croatian National Football team ahead of the 2024 European Football Championship.
“I just felt like in Sydney especially, there’s such a need for men to pray the rosary and I wanted them to love it just as much as I love mine.
“There’s this perception that it’s a very feminine prayer reserved just for women, you don’t think of it as a masculine thing to do.
“Maybe the typical smaller beads, crystal beads we’ve always seen that have painted that picture over the years, but Our Lady calls all of us to her.
“I thought if I can get some heavy materials, army-type paracord, then there’d be something attractive there for men.
“If they have something they’re proud to hold, a true spiritual weapon, it’ll entice them hopefully to pray more.
“That was why I wanted to do it. More men praying the rosary, even better.”
Tomi isn’t perfect by any means. He admits there are days he might not want to pray or times he doesn’t quite feel up to it.
But that imperfection he says is where men like himself are compelled to come together in faith.
“The saints speak of it, that if you don’t feel like praying, just persist,” he said.
“So, I continue to do it, and it might be a bad rosary that day, but a bad rosary is better than no rosary.”
The rosary, Beaded Armour and his faith have reminded Tomi that some things are bigger than soccer.
“People identify you with—not just athletes, but everyone—what you do for work, that that’s who you are,” Tomi said.
“But I don’t see it as that. I’m first a dad, a husband and my main goal is just to bring my family up well in the faith.
“That’s the most challenging part of my life, but it’s the most rewarding as well.
“I’m thankful for soccer, it pays me a wage and helps my family, but I try to remind myself it’s not the be all end all.”
Tomi will kick off his fourth A-League season in the coming weeks with the Bulls on 20 October, the same date Beaded Armour also begins its fourth year.
However many goals the team notches up this season, Tomi’s spiritual goal is to get a rosary into as many hands possible.
“Demand’s only gone up, so as long as men are wanting to get closer to Mary, I’ll do my best to give them the tools to do that.”