Wagga rising star Sophie Fawns is one step closer to realising her netball dream after being called into the Australian under 17 netball squad.
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The 15-year-old shooter is home from a five-day training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport where she received specialised training alongside the country's most promising netballers.
Fawns represented NSW at the under 17 national championships in April and received a last-minute call up into Australian squad last week.
It meant she was a late withdrawal from Wagga's team to play at the Senior State Titles in Sydney and instead formed part of the 36-strong Australian under 17 squad.
"It felt amazing, just to be able to do that," Fawns said.
"It was so good. I learnt heaps, met a lot of new people and got a different perspective on elite netball and where it leads to."
Fawns took part in specialised shooting training with experienced national coaches, underwent match play work and attended off-court education sessions.
"From my point of view, I learnt what it takes to be an elite netballer," she said.
"It gave me a look into what it takes to get there if that's what you want to do."
For Fawns, her dream is to play netball at the highest level.
"Definitely, and it helped put it into perspective what its like," she said.
It continues a big year for the Kooringal High School year 10 student.
She was part of the NSW team that finished second at the under 17 national netball championships and has since been included in the NSW Institute of Sport netball program.
Wagga Netball Association president Rosemary Clarke said Fawns deserves every opportunity that comes her way.
"She's just an amazing athlete and just an amazing girl," Clarke said.
"She's come from somebody who wasn't in the starting line-up to playing for NSW and making the Australian squad. That's what it's all about."
Fawns will now play out the remainder of the netball season with Mangoplah-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes, Kooringal and NSW Institute of Sport.
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