It was an amazing netball experience for the youngest member of the Australian Under-21 netball defender Matilda Garrett.

The 18-year-old, from Narre Warren South in Melbourne, Australia, is not new to the netball scene but is new to the Australian Under-21, which was a perfect present after she finished school at the Rowville Secondary College’s Sports Academy last year.

Getting the call to be part of the Australian U21 squad was something Garrett was not expecting but she is overjoyed to be part of the squad that took part in the Digicel Punjas International Youth Netball series in Suva last weekend.

“It still feels unreal knowing that I am here in Fiji and part of this amazing bunch of girls,” she said.

“I still cannot believe that I was selected, it is such an honour to be playing alongside some of these most talented girls who have also become my best friends.

“When I got the call to say that I was selected to be part of the team, I was shocked but I am so humbled by the experience and to be here is truly amazing.”

Garrett has the same dream as the other 15 girls on the team, which is to be part of the final squad to play at the Netball World Youth Cup in Gaborone, Botswana in July.

“I really loved the experience, Fiji is awesome and it is absolutely lovely being here to get some good international matches at the beginning of the year,” she said.

“I got court time and also I really wanted to perform which I did and I think I did really well, I want to make it to Botwana, I would say that is my main goal.

“I know it will not be easy to be part of that final team because there are so many talented girls and they will be fighting just as hard.

“But being here in Fiji has been amazing and I loved every bit of it.”

The youngster has achieved so much at such a young age. She has been part of the Netball Australia 2016 Australian U20 squad who battled New Zealand and England in an international series in August last year in Canberra.

She has also been a part of the Victorian Fury that went to Papua New Guinea and is part of the Victoria U19 side that won the national championship over arch-rivals New South Wales.