A BATHURST goal keeper will be looking to make a name for herself, when she competes on the national stage next month.
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Jacinta Knight has been selected in the Football NSW Country under 16s team for the Girls National Youth Championships in Melbourne from July 3-8.
It's a return to the NSW Country team for the 15-year-old, last being selected in 2022 for the under 14s girls team, but she did make the NSW Country team that competed at the National Futsal Championships at the start of 2024.
Knight said she's ready to put her best foot forward in front of any potential Junior Matildas (under 17s) selectors that may be watching on during the competition.
"I definitely got to experience what the best looks like last time I went," she said.
"I will hopefully get a good shot at it again this year."
Knight has been selected in the squad alongside fellow Bathurst footballer Jasmine Mitchell, the Eglinton DFC talent being selected in the NSW Country team for the third consecutive year.
Jasmin Christie-Johnston, who plays in Bathurst District Football Women's Premier League for Panorama FC, is a member of the team's coaching staff, alongside Michael Babic and Brittany Anderson.
She's expected to fly down to the tournament alongside the rest of her team, while her family will make the drive down in the car.
The Country NSW team will compete against NSW Metro, as well as other state equivalents at the competition that will be held at the Home of Matildas, located at Bundoora in Melbourne's north.
A new year, a new team
During the regular season, Knight is busy playing goal keeper for Blacktown Spartans' girls under 16s team, that is a current member of Football NSW Girls' Youth League.
She travels down three times a week to train, as well as another day to play her games on the weekend.
During the 2023-24 off season, Knight actually made the switch from Bankstown City to Spartans.
While she's travelling well for the season, Knight hopes to crack into the under 18s team, while also get a train-on spot with an A-League Women's team.
"It's a very good learning opportunity. I'm learning a lot there. The coaches are very good," Knight said on her season with Spartans so far.
"Hopefully I can crack into the 18s and I want to get a train-on spot with the Western Sydney Wanderers in the next couple of years."
Knight spent 20 weeks training at the Wanderers, as a part of its Future Wander Women Program, in 2023.
At the conclusion of the program, Knight was named the goalkeeper of the program, ahead of three others.
