MELANIE Kirby eats, sleeps and breathes basketball.
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The 16-year-old’s commitment to the sport was on display last night, as she spent nearly three hours at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre in specialised shooting practice and refereeing games before playing in the division two senior women’s grand final.
It’s this kind of dedication that has seen Kirby rewarded with selection in the NSW Country team.
The squad has travelled to Tasmania for the under-16 National Championships, which starts tomorrow.
The humble teenager said she was pleased to make the trip, after a gruelling training and trials that saw her travel to and from Newcastle every month.
“It’s a real privilege to be a part of the team,” Kirby said.
“There’s been a lot of travelling to and from training so to be selected in the squad of 10 is really exciting.
“I’m starting to build up a bit of experience at representative level so hopefully I can make the most out of it and give myself the best chance of a successful career.”
Kirby said balancing her frenetic basketball schedule with school studies was challenging but the reward at the end more than made up for it.
“I’m playing twice a week at the moment but I’m training almost every night except for Mondays,” she said.
“It’s hard work but I think it’s starting to pay off.”