After winning Canberra's Capital Football under-13 Player of the Year in 2019, Ashleigh Carty made the step up to the under-14s for Sydney University in the Football NSW Women's NPL1 competition - the top tier of women's soccer in the state.

Ashleigh travelled to and from Sydney twice a week, training on Tuesday nights and playing on Sunday, before making it back for school the following days.

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To save on expenses, Ashleigh would sleep in a swag every Tuesday night before getting back to school in time for Wednesday's class.

After committing to the 20-round competition, Ashleigh received an email last week on behalf of national under-17 women's coach Raeanne Dower, inviting her to attend an elite match in Sydney, which is the start of the selection process for the Junior Matildas.

"It's been a huge effort and commitment to give a country kid the opportunity to experience playing against the best players in the state in her age group," Ashleigh's mother Nicole said.

"It's her dedication to the sport she loves. She spent 24 hours a week travelling around 2200 kilometres for two return trips to Sydney.

"She played a game every Sunday at 8.30am in Sydney, which involved overnight stay, all just to keep her on a level playing field in the sport with the city kids."

Ashleigh caught the eye of Sydney University coaches after impressing at the FFA National Championships in July last year at Coffs Harbour.

She was selected in the under-14 NSW Country team at 12 years of age and scored five goals during the week-long tournament.

Ashleigh carried that form into the NPL against teams such as Macarthur Rams, Newcastle Emerging Jets, Manly United, APIA Leichhardt and Sydney Olympic.

Sydney University finished second in the league behind Football NSW Institute, the only team they lost against throughout the season.

The right winger's key attribute is her speed, thanks to a sprinting background.

"The intensity and quickness of the competition is teaching her to think quicker during the games and she has learnt a lot from this level of competition," Nicole said.

"To receive this invitation is fantastic, as Ashleigh only turns 14 this month and this selection is for the under-17 national team. The experience will be invaluable in her football journey.

"Also with Australia and New Zealand just getting rights to host the 2023 World Cup, it's an exciting time for a girl following her dream of one day being a Matilda."

Ashleigh started in the Albury-Wodonga Football Association in miniroos and made representative teams from the age of nine.