AFTER an injury-ravaged 2013, Orange's Charlotte Jasprizza is relieved to be fit, physically and mentally, ahead of the under 19s National Netball Championships in April.
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Jasprizza was one of 10 girls named in the New South Wales squad this week for the tournament, with the final two to be named on Monday.
The 17-year-old has represented New South Wales several times before, including in the under 17s last year.
Midway through the national championships last year she was knocked out, before fracturing her sesamoid (a bone in her foot) not long after, leaving her languishing in a moon boot for five months.
The long road to recovery finished on Tuesday, when Netball NSW released the squad to the public.
Her excitement was palpable yesterday, but the 17-year-old explained she had been through a nervy period leading into the naming of the squad.
“At the trial they do selector’s rounds at the end,” she said.
“You never know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing to be on it, and considering I wasn’t on it at all I was very nervous. Because I’m young for it as well, I didn’t want to look when it came out on the internet on Tuesday.
“It’s very exciting though.”
Jasprizza nominated for the trials in October, and survived the first cut in November after a trial.
Following several training sessions, the last of which was last Saturday, the team was selected.
She said her previous experience representing her state will give her an advantage leading into the championships in April.
“The first time I played for NSW I knew no one,” she explained.
“Having a lot of girls there I know this time around will make it a lot easier.”
Helping NSW win the tournament is the main goal, Jasprizza said, and finishing the tournament is the other one.
“It would be nice to get through the entire championship this time,” she laughed.
“About halfway through the (2013) competition, we played Queensland and one of their bigger girls took me out, and knocked me out.
“I’d also love to make the starting seven for this whole championship, at either wing attack or centre.”
Despite being unable to play the remainder of the 2013 championships due to heavy concussion, Jasprizza was still named in the Australian under 17 development squad.
“It is definitely a goal again for this championship,” she said.
“I’d love to be a part of the Australian team, but I still have another year in under 19s so this year will be about playing good netball, and then if I miss out I’ll have another real crack next year.”
The under 19s National Netball Championships in Melbourne, from April 7-12.