WAGGA teenager Alison Miller has taken a giant step towards her dream of playing netball professionally.
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The 17-year-old sharp shooter is celebrating her selection in the Australian under 17 development squad.
She is one of just 36 players from around the country to make the cut.
Her selection follows a sensational performance at the under 17 National Championships in Melbourne last week while representing ACT.
Miller was one of the standout players from the tournament, playing goal shooter for ACT and finishing with an accuracy rate of 89 per cent under the net.
She received the call she had been hoping for on Saturday night and was over the moon.
"I'm pretty excited," Miller said.
"It's a great chance to develop our skills.
"It's a big commitment but it's worth it."
Miller is now preparing for a four-day camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra next month with the national development squad.
The 36 young talents will receive expert advice and training from the best coaches, dieticians and sports scientists Australia has to offer.
"Basically the who's who of netball will be there," Alison's father Greg explained.
Most of the ANZ Championship state coaches, as well as the Australian Diamonds coach, will attend the camp to cast an eye over the crop of next-generation netballers.
It caps off a big 12 months for Miller, who is coming off her debut season playing with Belconnen in the ACT State League.
"It would be awesome if I could play the ANZ Championships one day."
- Alison Miller
She admits she only began taking her netball seriously two years ago, but has quickly blossomed into one of the brightest young talents in Australia.
Now she realises professional sport is becoming a very real avenue.
"I hope so, I'd love to see how far I can go," Miller said.
"It would be awesome if I could play the ANZ Championships one day."
Miller credits her recent success largely to her involvement in the Southern Sports Academy.
Under the watchful eye of academy head coach Di Pomeroy, Miller has taken her game to the next level.
"The Southern Sports Academy really helped last year, the standard she was playing with them was sensational and that really helped with her development," Greg Miller said.
Academy executive director Greg McLay was thrilled with Miller's selection in the national squad.
"The netball squad, coaching staff and the entire academy are unbelievably proud of Ali's selection into this elite squad," McLay said.
"The remarkable thing is she has plenty of scope for improvement as she has only been pursuing high level netball in the last few years."
While netball is at the forefront of Miller's mind, she is also juggling her HSC studies at Mater Dei Catholic College.