Australian rep Sophie Schetor was unaware there was a "player of the carnival" award until her named was read out.
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Now she has her sights firmly on playing netball at the highest level after being named in the 18-years national squad.
Schetor is a Dapto junior who plays in the Illawarra's State League squad. She was judged the best player at the Australian age tournament, as NSW finished runner-up to Queensland in the final.
But the award has the talented mid-court player dreaming of a career in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championships.
"Making the national squad has given me more confidence to go out there and trial for open-level representative teams," she said.
"My first goal is to make the NSW under-19 team in October, but I want to work my way up through ANL and hopefully one day to the Swifts."
Australian powerhouse the NSW Swifts finished third on the ANZ Championships ladder before bowing out in the minor semi-final to New Zealand team Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic.
With the Australian 18-years team likely to tour NZ later this year, the current batch of elite stars is preparing to chase gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Schetor has made huge developments as a player this year under the watch of Sydney-based NSW coach Shannon Timms, who will be the Australian mentor.
The 18-year-old admitted she was stunned to hear she was judged player of the Australian carnival, which finished last week.
"It was such a shock, I didn't even know there was an award," she said.
"Then they read my name out. I was so happy as I went up on stage to receive the medal."
In the meantime, Schetor will help the Illawarra's charge to the State League division three finals.
Illawarra are third on the ladder, but equal on competition points with Northern Suburbs and Ku-ring-gai.
"The competition is so close, we just have to keep working hard and playing well in the lead-up to the finals," she said.