Is there anything Erin Naden can’t do?
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Although meant as a rhetorical, history suggests the short answer to that question is no.
Naden has already starred in touch football and athletics at the district, regional and state levels, she’s proved a shining light among Orange Netball Association’s generation next and now, in what is virtually a completely new sport for the gun 15-year-old, she’s earned national selection.
Basically, she dominates every sport she turns her hand to.
Naden skippered her NSW/ACT side to sixth at last year’s National Female Diversity Championship in Shepparton, blitzing the competition to be named player of the tournament and earn selection in the preliminary Woomeras squad – Australia’s Indigenous under-18 side.
She was “shocked” enough by that selection in just her second year playing any form of Aussie Rules, so you can imagine she had few thoughts of making the final squad, even with her squadmates suggesting she was a given considering her performance for her state.
She did make that final squad, the preliminary group was cut down in December to form the final Woomeras squad, which will head into camp in February.
“I found out on Christmas Eve too, so it was a pretty good present,” Naden, a member of Canobolas Rural Technology High School’s High Performance Program, laughed.
“I’d spoken to a few of the other girls (in the preliminary squad) and they thought I was a pretty good chance, so I’d sort of started thinking maybe I was. It was still a big shock though.
“It was only my second time playing for NSW/ACT and probably only my third real time playing at all, so it’s a pretty good achievement.
“It’s really good to be able to represent the Indigenous community, especially in the western region, it’s a great opportunity.”
Naden said she’s expecting the February camp in Melbourne to revolve around coming together as a side, and developing the brand of football the Woomeras expect to play.
Details around where they’ll employ that brand of football are yet to finalised, although they’re expected to contest the National Youth Girls Championship.
“I think will mainly be about getting to know each other,” the speedy rover said.
“I’m really looking forward to it.
“It will be a good chance to learn a lot from the other girls, they know a lot more about the sport than I do.”