Cranbourne netballer Tara Cecil was selected in the Australian schoolgirl squad this month. 21945By Marc McGowan
CRANBOURNE netball star Tara Cecil will head for New Zealand next May after being selected in the Australian schoolgirl squad this month.
The team was selected at the end of the School Sport Australia Championship in Adelaide.
Victoria finished runner-up to New South Wales in the national titles.
The two states met twice during the week-long event, with New South Wales triumphing 37-35 both times.
Cecil, 15, was also named Victoria’s best player at the competition and is delighted with being named in her first Australian squad.
“I’m so excited – I’m rapt,” the talented goal defence/wing defence said.
“It was in my mind that it could have happened, but I never really expected it.”
Cecil’s mother Julie was equally as pleased with her daughter’s achievement.
“I thought she had a really great tournament,” her mother Julie said.
“All the states and territories were there, so it was obviously really tough.
“We were not really thinking about it (the Australian team), but when it was announced it was fantastic,” she said.
Australia will face stiff opposition at next year’s international showcase against New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, Singapore and an Australian indigenous team.
Cecil has been selected four times for Victoria and will suit up for the state at the Australasian Catholic Schoolgirls Netball Championships in Adelaide for the second straight year next month.
The Year 9 Cranbourne Secondary College student was chosen in the Australasian Catholic Netball Association side in 2007 and aims to do the same this year.
Cecil puts her success down to hard work and having more experience in the sport.
“I’ve been playing more and more over the years and I’ve been gradually improving my game,” she said.
“Now that this has happened, I feel like I can do it (have a career in netball) if I put my mind to it.”
Cecil also played her last match for outgoing State League side Palladians last week, so the national selection could not have come at a better time for her.
Netball Victoria did not offer the club one of the 10 initial licences into the new Victorian Netball League, which starts next year.
“I’m a bit shattered about that and I’m not sure what to do now,” Cecil said.
“I was only really starting to get used to the girls.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to play for another club, but I haven’t heard from anyone about any trials.”
