Darwin, Hobart, Shepparton. Sporting talent Hannah Chicken from Taree will see a fair chunk of Australia this year.
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The 12-year-old captain of St Joseph’s Primary School has gained selection in three State sides.
She’s already played for NSW Primary School Sports Association (PSSA) side in the Australian basketball championships held in Darwin, where NSW finished fourth. Fellow Taree player Annika Scott was also in the State team (See sportstar of the week, page 15).
Hannah was a member of the unbeaten NSW championship winning Poliding side at the State titles played at Broken Hill. From there she made the State squad, where she was one of five country-based players
Just before leaving for Darwin Hannah was named in the NSW PSSA netball side following selection trials. As was the case with basketball, Hannah represented Polding at the State titles. A goal defence or goal keeper, Hannah heads back to Darwin on September 15 for the national championships.
She’ll return from the Northern Territory just in time to join her Taree Tornadoes under 14 basketball teammates heading to Shepparton for the Australian club championships. The side qualified earlier this year and have had an exhausting schedule in Northern Junior League, Country and State titles. They were runners-up in the recent State championships and head to Victoria confident of a strong campaign.
Last week Hannah chalked up her State trifecta when she was included in the NSW PSSA touch football squad. They’ll be flying to Tasmania on October 21 for the nationals. She’ll play in the middle position.
But wait, there's more. Just before she hops on the plane to Hobart, Hannah will compete in the shot putt at the Hunter championships in Newcastle, hoping to make her way through to the State titles to be held at Homebush in early November.
Hannah told the Times earlier this year when awarded the Iguana-sponsored Sportstar of the Week that costs and time away from school mean she has to scale down her sporting commitments. This was before she’d made the NSW netball and touch teams. At the time basketball had the slight edge.
“But it’s going to be a hard decision,’’ she said.