It's a time where you have to be away from your family and friends in order to commit to your team and sport on a full-time basis.

But in the case 18-year-old Phoebe Litchfield, she's excited about the prospect of being locked down in camp with her Sydney Thunder teammates as the gun side is looking to defend its Women's Big Bash League crown.

It's an option the WBBL is exploring ahead of the 2021-22 campaign as increased COVID-19 concerns in New South Wales may force the competition to relocate north of the border.

It's not too dissimilar to what the Thunder did last summer and Litchfield lapped up the increased time alongside her idols in what was her maiden WBBL campaign.

"I loved it," she said.

"I enjoyed spending time in hotels with people I look up to. The older girls in the team probably had enough of it, but I loved it.

"I wouldn't mind going into one again."

And for a teenager who just wants to immerse herself in the sport she loves, you can understand why the idea excites her.

No matter what circumstances it's held under, Litchfield is pumped ahead of her second summer in the green and black.

Litchfield improved tenfold throughout the course of last season, but wants to build further on those strides this year.

"I just want to solidify my spot in the top order," she said.

"I want to have a little more consistency with my run-scoring and just prove to myself that I belong here.

"The analysis and the coaching there is amazing. Obviously I learned a lot coming through at Orange, but the Thunder coaches are amazing."

Not only will Litchfield need to dedicate time to improving her craft, she'll need to spend a fair few hours on the computer with the WBBL schedule to run at the same time as her HSC.

The youngster plans to take it all in her stride and juggle cricket with studies.

"I'll definitely have my books for that first two weeks we're in the hotel," she said.

She's excited for the summer ahead, but Litchfield's still caught up in what was a sensational winter on the hockey field as the dual-sport gun enjoyed a Premier League Hockey fairy tale with Pete Shea's CYMS.

The green and golds clawed their way to a premiership after sitting towards the bottom of the table at the half-way point of the winter.

"I just played for some fun and some fitness. I went in there with an open mind," she said.

"But, we started winning games and the next thing we knew we were in the final.

"We kept playing every game like it was a semi.

"It's quite extraordinary that we were able to win the tournament, and it's a credit to him [Pete Shea] and how we were coached."

Nothing's set in stone yet, but the seventh edition of the WBBL is set to commence Thursday, October 17.

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