Rising Albany netball stars Dakota Dimer and Emily Gadean to represent WA at national schools championships

Young Albany netball talents Dakota Dimer and Emily Gadean have been selected to represent the State in their respective School Sport WA teams in the national championships. Dimer will play in the WA 12s squad that will compete in Wollongong in September while Gadean jets off to Canberra next week. Gadean will pull on State colours for the WA 15s squad that competes in the ACT from July 24-29. The 14-year-old’s WA side will face off against State school squads from New South Wales, Victoria, ACT, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia. WA will take on Victoria in their first game on Monday and will play five more games before the semifinals on July 28. Finals are set down for the following day. The North Albany Senior High School student is a member of the Regional Academy of Sport Program in Albany, an initiative run by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. The Canberra trip will be Gadean’s first State commitment and the budding young shooter was thrilled to make the squad. “It’s the first time I’ve done a trip and I’m so excited,” she said. “I’ve honestly learnt so much already, the coaches have been amazing and they’re teaching me so much. “They’ve expanded on what RASP (Regional Academy Sport Program) and the Great Southern program have been doing. “This is just like another level, I go to Perth twice a week on Fridays and Sundays for training sessions. “We do training but we play on Sundays against academies around the Perth region so that’s really good. “All the people in my team are just really nice and they all love netball like me which is great because we all have something in common. “The experience of playing other States is going to be amazing.” Dimer was named in the WA squad that will travel to Wollongong from September 10-16. Fixtures have not been released for the tournament but the 12-year-old said she was looking forward to the opportunity to shine on the big stage. “I’m really excited,” she said. “We’ve trained a few times already and I’m looking forward to playing with some of the other girls in the team. Some of the other girls are really experienced so it’s going to be good.” The Great Southern Grammar student’s selection comes after being named in WA’s State basketball side that will compete at the 2022 School Sport Australia Interstate Basketball Championships in August.