Young duo pivoting to state team

Friends Holly and Ava, 12, have been selected for the Victorian state school netball team. (Damjan Janevski). 287856_03

By Olivia Condous

A pair of mates from Caroline Springs students have been selected to represent Victoria for netball at a national competition this year.

Springside P-9 College student Ava Craske and Brookside P-9 College student Holly Sutton have been selected for the School Sport Victoria Team 12 years and under netball team.

The selection is special for the two girls, who are close friends and thrilled to be selected together.

They will compete with the Victorian team at the School Sport Australia Championship in September.

Ava said she was “quite shocked” when she found out she’d been selected for the team.

“I just started screaming and I was super excited,” she said.

She loves the sport and has played for most of her life, since she was five years old, and said she loves the friendships she’s made along the way.

“It’s a team sport and I’m really glad I’ve got lots of friends from it,” Ava said.

Holly said she jumped up and down for joy upon hearing of her selection for the team.

“I was very happy and excited,” she said.

She’s looking forward to the opportunity to travel while getting to play plenty of netball.

Both girls said they hoped to continue playing netball into the future, with hopes of playing on a professional level one day.

“Whenever I watch netball at the higher levels, I think that’s what I want to do one day,” Ava said.

She said she was most looking forward to making lifelong friends from the experience.

“Honestly just the experience itself is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”