Jess Healey's hockey career has come full circle.
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The Orange goalkeeper first got the opportunity to represent her state during an under 13s Australian Championships in Tasmania where she was part of the Blues squad.
Five years later, she is preparing to end her junior rep career at the Hobart International Hockey Centre, the very same ground where it all began.
"It kind of feels like a homecoming of my national tournaments," she said.
Her selection to the under 18s Blues squad - which is the B team sent to compete from NSW - marked her fourth time chosen over the years.
Despite her long list of rep honours, the satisfaction that comes with being chosen never wears off.
"It's always a good fight to try and make a team because you never know what's going to happen," she said.
"Trials are nerve-wracking for sure. You always have to be switched on because you're never sure how your competition is going to play on that given day and you never know how you'll react to a certain drill."
When trying to calm the nerves, Healey remembers back to the lessons learned when she was a youngster trying to crack it for the first time.
"You always get told to get into your goalie kit nice and quick because you want to be out there first and catch their eye," she added.
"My rule is make that first, big save and then settle down and get into it. Don't worry about what you're doing next, worry about what you're doing now."
She always takes her warm-ups very seriously as well.
"I like getting balls hit at my head," Healey said.
"It might seem a bit crazy, but it's all about getting my eye in and getting ready to go."
Despite playing in the B team, Healey has no doubts that should they play to the best of their ability, they can come away from the tournament as champions.
With the NSW A team put in the opposite pool to Healey, it means the first time the sides collide would be in the finals.
"Sometimes I think the Blues team does play better than the State team. We did beat them in training and we were happy with that," the goalie added.
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"All the girls go hard because you're thinking 'let's beat the State side' and they never want to lose to the Blues side.
"But it's not about going out there and smashing them, it's about playing the best hockey we can play."
The tournament will get underway on July 1 and Healey said you would be "crazy" to ask any athlete travelling down there if their goal was to come away with anything but a gold medal.
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