Netball
2 December, 2024
Gordon's hard work rewarded
Ruby Gordon's selection into the 2025 Netball Victoria Talent Academy has come from hard work and a fantastic season for Kaniva Leeor in the Horsham District Football Netball League.
The 15-year-old played 15-and-under and A-grade for the Cougars this season. In the 15-and-under, Gordon won the best and fairest. Playing in the attacking ring, she scored 199 goals in 15 games.
In A-grade, she plays in defence and sees herself as a defender. She had a stellar season, and when called upon to play forward when Blair Burke got injured, she shot 131 goals in a six-game span.
Gordon is excited that all her hard work is paying off.
"I'm excited that I have been selected for the Talent Academy and State Titles team. It's starting to feel like the hard work is paying off," Gordon said.
"It's still hard to believe I've been selected, but I am stoked."
Gordon said she is looking forward to meeting new people.
"I'm looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends while learning new things," Gordon said.
"The skills that I know I will learn from this is something I won't take for granted.
"It's not every day that you get selected for something like this, and I'm pretty excited."
Gordon enjoyed A-grade this season and said it helped develop her game immensely.
"I loved playing A-grade this year. I am always up for a challenge, playing against people much taller and with more experience than me, and I think that's what I really enjoyed about it," Gordon said.
"Playing alongside players like Nikki Hawker has also helped me.
"Not only has playing A-grade helped me develop, but playing in the interleague and Wimmera Mallee sides have all taught me different things.
"I don't think I have ever had a bad coach, and I can't wait to see my development after training for the Talent Academy."