SIX days in hotel quarantine - it may not sound like it, but that is the start of a huge moment in the tennis career of Grace Schumacher.
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The Bathurst talent is currently serving that quarantine period as part of COVID-19 safety measures ahead of linking with the University of South Florida where she has been offered a full scholarship.
As part of their tennis squad - one which holds National Collegiate Athletic Association division one ranking - Schumacher will find herself competing against some of the world's best emerging female players.
While Schumacher actually started her studies last year as an online student and was in contact with her new coaches and team-mates, she will find herself on campus for the first time come Monday Australian time.
"She studied at home, so she actually started in August as she would have had she gone over when she was due to go, she started all her classes online and has done one semester already," Grace's mother Allyson Schumacher said.
"She always knew that regardless of what was going on in the world, she would have to be there in January and they would start their competitions on the 25th, so she had that in the back of her mind, that it was actually going to happen.
"Her coaches gave her a fitness program, but that was probably not as much as what she was doing anyway. She's a hard trainer, so they were happy with what tennis training she was doing here and with what fitness she was doing, they weren't worried about any of that.
"She had to go to meetings twice a week with the team and the coach during the whole semester via zoom - the college is really quite organised."
While the state of the COVID-19 pandemic is much worse in the United States than in Australia, the University of South Florida has its own medical facility on campus and plans in place.
That eased the concerns of Schumacher and her parents - they are simply excited about what is to come on the tennis court.
"We are obviously still worried she is over there during all this, but the way the college will handle it if she did it get it, we're more than happy," Allyson said.
"She's just doing what she loves doing, she just loves to play and train and compete and that's what she'll be doing.
"I think if your kid is happy, you're happy and she's doing what she loves. We're just incredibly proud of her and she works incredibly hard.
"They've got their playing schedule and it is huge, it will be a massive semester for her if all the matches go ahead."
The Eglinton Tennis Club members who played alongside Schumacher wished her the best with her new challenge. They are eager to see what Australia's currently 63rd ranked female player can do.
"What a great opportunity this is for Grace, she has worked so hard to achieve this scholarship to Florida and is something she should be very proud of," publicity officer John Bullock said.
"Grace is well respected amongst her peers, being a good person with a kind heart and comes from good stock."
Schumacher wishes to thank Eglinton Tennis Club, Eglinton Tennis Academy, Central West Tennis and the Bathurst Tennis Centre for their support.