Hastings players score position on Australian Indigenous Netball team

Wauchope's Shakiylah Chatfield and Port Macquarie player Gemirah Fernando were selected for the Australian Budgies Indigenous schoolgirls netball team's 13s and 15s divisions earlier this year.

Despite being in different divisions, their reactions to being selected were the same.

"Surprised," Shakiylah said.

"Getting picked out of a lot of girls was really hard."

"It was very surprising and I was pretty shocked," Gemirah agreed.

The young players had travelled to the Gold Coast to compete in the Australian Indigenous Schoolgirls Championships, playing for NSW Echidnas in January.

From there, they were amongst approximately 100 other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls from across Australia who trialled over two intense days to make the team.

But the hard work isn't over.

The Budgies are scheduled to play in the 2024 International Netball Festival in Aotearoa/ New Zealand from September 25 to October 4.

"It's going to be good," Gemirah said.

"Travelling to a different country, meeting new people and being around all of the team."

Gemirah is a Wiradjuri girl originally from Dubbo who now lives on Biripai land.

She's been playing netball since she was seven-years-old.

"I guess both my sisters and my Mum grew up playing netball," Gemirah said.

"And it was always just a passion to be like them.

"That just inspired me to keep going like them."

Shakiylah's family also helped inspire her passion for netball.

The young Birpai, Dunghutti and Wiradjuri player has played the sport since she was around six-years-old.

"All my Aunties and my Nan used to play growing up," Shakiylah said.

On top of making the Budgies, both girls are already players for the Hastings Valley Netball Association Representative teams for 13s and 14s division, with Shakilyah also selected to travel with the Wanders Australia netball tour in Fiji.

When asked what she wanted to achieve overseas, Gemirah response was simple.

"Just to represent my culture, my country and my family," she said.

For both girl's families, it's a proud moment.

But to send the players overseas for the festival is expected to cost $5,000 each.

Gemirah's mother Mel Fernando said that there are currently two fundraising events planned to help the girls follow their netball dreams.

"If we can't fundraise, they can't go," she said.

A fundraiser is planned at the netball courts on Saturday, July 20.

But Mel and Shakiylah's mother Lauren have been reaching out to local businesses to offer prizes for a raffle held at Settlers Inn at 6.30pm on Saturday, August 24.

"We'll have a fundraiser night so people can purchase tickets and we'll raffle them off," Mel said.

Local businesses including Wildnets, Billabong Zoo, Coffee on High, Wauchope Fitness Centre and Greenbourke Nursery Wauchope have already offered support and donated prizes to be involved in the raffle.

Settlers Inn have also come on board to co-host the event.

Mel and Lauren are currently welcoming any other businesses who want to jump on board with donations or sponsorship for the event to get in touch by emailing mels.fer144@hotmail.com.