Cowra soccer player Mackenzie Crook is excited for the challenge of playing the nation's best when she takes to the field for the NSW Country squad later this month.
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Mackenzie, who is also part of the Western NSW Mariners Under 15s team, will be representing NSW Country's Under 14s side in the Australia Girls National Youth Championships at Coffs Harbour from July 15 to 19.
It's an experience she is eager to embrace.
"I was really excited when I got the email and it's going to be a really good experience, I can't wait to go [and] play," Mackenzie said.
Juggling school with a growing passion for the sport dubbed "the world game", Mackenzie trains twice a week in Orange, while attending school in Cowra.
She also sees a personal trainer twice a week to build strength and prevent injuries in addition to regular Sunday playing commitments with the Mariners.
I was really excited when I got the email and it's going to be a really good experience.
- Mackenzie Crook
The local admits it can be a tricky balance.
"I do a lot of homework and assessments in the car on the way to games and training," she said.
She noted that her parents, who drive her to and from games and training, have been her biggest supporters.
"Thanks to my family for supporting me and taking me around everywhere... If it wasn't for mum or dad I wouldn't be able to play," Mackenzie said, but her mum said she has also enjoyed the experience of watching her child develop.
"We're more than happy to travel around to watch her grow and see the commitment she has to [soccer] and just the friends she's made from all over the place," Michelle Crook said.
NSW Country will play the Northern Territory first up on July 15.
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