Senior squad call for Queensland youngsters

The Aussie Stingers announced their squad for the upcoming October camp at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

Included in the senior squad are several familiar faces,  such as Bronwen Knox, Zoe Arancini and Rowie Webster who will welcome three players from the Born 2000 squad. For Queenslanders Abby Andrews and Sophie Milliken along with Carla Traplin from NSW, this will be their first senior squad camp.

We caught up with Sophie during training to get her thoughts on her inclusion in the Aussie Stingers squad. Firstly, congratulations on your selection! Is this is the first time you’ve been selected for the senior squad?

“Thank you! Yes, this is my first senior squad. I found out a couple of weeks ago from Dusan, our Born 2000 coach. I was just really excited, I didn’t know who else was invited or how many younger girls were asked. Looking at the squad, so many of them have been to the Olympics, it will be amazing just to train with them, even just watching them is amazing, let alone being in the water with them.”

By any chance are you a little star struck?!

“Yeah, just a little bit!”

You play in the National League for QLD Breakers with Bronnie, will having her there help settle your nerves a bit?

“Yeah, I think so. It’s definitely going to help to have all the girls that I know from QAS there, such as Bridget and Alice. I think that will really help.”

Are you looking forward to meeting Bronnie the Aussie Stingers player?

“Yeah, for sure. In the Breakers team, she is playing, coaching and leading that. She is still a leader in the Australian team, so seeing her with players that she has played so many games with will be awesome.”

There is a nice mix of young and old, not that we are calling Bronnie old, in this squad. Are you looking forward to being involved with such as diverse set-up?

“Yeah, definitely, I will be a good opportunity for the younger girls to learn. Not all of the older players will want to go to another two or three Olympics, so I think it’s good having the younger girls starting to come in, meeting everyone involved and learning from the older girls.”

It’s pretty exciting for you and the younger players. Aside from attending the camp and learning as much as you can, are there specific things that you want to take away from the camp?

“For sure. I think I struggle a lot with self-confidence and I’ve been working on that with Dusan. I think playing with the older girls under pressure, learning from them and how they deal with certain situations and being able to apply that to my own game with my club and the older teams.”

Any players that you’re looking forward to getting in the water against or playing with?

“Playing with for sure, I’m not too excited about going against them! But yeah, Hannah, she is such a good centre back and Keesja, I admire her so much. Her shots are just amazing and playing against them for National League and now being able to play with them is such an awesome opportunity.”

Will you be going autograph hunting or will it just be purely profession during camp!?

“Purely professional, until the end, I might not blurt out that I completely idolise them just yet!”

Congratulations to Alice, Bronwen, Elle, Bridget, Abby and Sophie on their inclusion in the Stingers Squad. The Aussie Stingers are preparing the 2018 international season and their first tournament, the FINA World League Intercontinental Tournament, in Auckland in April.

The Aussie Stingers are preparing for the 2018 international season and their first tournament, the FINA World League Intercontinental Tournament, which will be in Auckland in early April.

Aussie Stingers Squad – October 2017 Camp