Sarah Taylor is off to Cairns for the School Sport Australia Basketball Tournament after emerging from several rigorous trials to make the Victorian Primary Schools’ Sports Association under-12 team. Picture: Meagan Rogers. By Marc McGowan
BUDDING basketball star Sarah Taylor’s prospects in the sport have received a massive boost after being chosen in the Victorian Primary Schools’ Sports Association 12-and-under team.
The 12-year-old Narre Warren North athlete will join other selected Victorians for next month’s School Sport Australia Basketball Tournament in Cairns.
Taylor has been shooting hoops for six years and is rapidly gaining a reputation for her skills in the local region.
She has suited up for the representative side the Dandenong Rangers for the past three seasons – two in the under-12s and the most recent in the under-14s – but August’s interstate trip will be her first time representing the state.
“It’s a huge relief because I really wanted to get through and I wouldn’t have been able to do it next year because I’d be too old, so I’m really happy,” she said.
Taylor, who plays the shooting guard and small forward spots, said she was really excited and hoping to win. “If we win, it’d be really good.”
Naturally, Taylor has lofty goals in the sport and is well on her way to achieving them.
“I want to play for the Opals (the Australian women’s senior team) and I also want to go to America to play college basketball,” the Year-7 St John’s Regional College student in Dandenong said.
“It would be really good (to make the Women’s National Basketball Association in the United States) – it would be a dream come true because I really love basketball and would love to take it up as a career.”
Taylor’s ascension to the Victorian squad is evidence of her persistence after failing to get past the regional trials for the same age group in 2006.
This year, she had no such problems in breezing through the early trials before starring in the final stage at Coburg Basketball Stadium.
“We were there for four days and we learnt skills then put them into our games and the selectors walked around and took notes on you,” Taylor said.
“There were 64 kids, but they only picked 10, and there were people from every club all over Victoria, and I was really nervous.”
The butterflies in her stomach were not enough to hold her talent back, but it does mean spending even more time on the court.
Taylor, who is seeking sponsorship to cover the vast travel and competition expenses, already trains five days a week, and her state responsibilities have added an extra two hours to her hectic Sunday schedule to further polish her proficiency with the round ball.
“It’s kind of tiring on a Sunday to train for another two hours, but it’s pretty good that I get to improve more,” the ever-positive youngster said.
“Sometimes with maths I get lots of homework and have training the same day, so I find myself having to stay up late, especially with assignments and studying for exams.”
The pressure-packed lifestyle suits Taylor just fine, however, as she is seeing the encouraging development in her game.
“From being in the state team, I’ve got a lot fitter and I’m a really good shooter and pretty good on defence – those are the two things you need for basketball,” she said.
“I definitely need to get faster on my feet and also need to improve on my confidence.
“Since I’ve made the state team, it has brought my confidence up and having a lot more training has given me the confidence and skill.”
Taylor’s mother Elaine is extremely proud of her daughter, particularly after she missed out last time.
“I think it’s fantastic, but it’s pretty nerve-racking. She was a bit disappointed last year, but they only take so many and she was only bottom age,” she said.
“She’s pretty keen on her basketball.”
