SOME good news for Jorja Holborow in what has otherwise been a tough week for her family.
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Jorja, 12, has been named in a Regional NSW team to play in the Ultimate Fiji Soccer Cup in December. This is a junior tournament involving sides from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
Jorja lives in Hillville, the epicentre of the bushfire crisis that has enveloped the Manning in the past week. When Jorja spoke to the Times her family's home was safe.
Jorja is also the Manning River Times-Iguana Sportstar of the Week, winning a $50 open order at Iguana.
The NSW team will be coached by Brenton Doyle. He is also the coach of the Football Mid North Coast's under 14s side in the Women's Premier League (WPL). The side has won the competition for the past two years. It was through this connection with Brenton that Jorja gained a place in the team bound for Fiji.
Jorja said she isn't sure what other teams will be involved in the cup.
"I think it's put on to promote football there,'' she explained.
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Jorja has already enjoyed a successful year on the field. As mentioned she was a member of the Football Mid North Coast under 14s side that made it back-to-back wins in the Women's Premier League.
Football Mid North Coast is the northern most point in the WPL, with the competition dominated by Newcastle and Hunter Valley sides. As such Jorja and her team-mates were usually on the road to Newcastle every second weekend in what is a long and taxing season.
Football Mid North Coast were on top of the ladder at the completion of the competition-proper and then clinched the championship with a commanding 3-0 win over Merewether United in the grand final. The side played 20 matches during the season for just one loss.
However, there was more good news to come, with FMNC claiming the Northern NSW title in the end-of-year tournament held at Coffs Harbour.
Jorja played centre back for FMNC, a position she hopes to play in Fiji.
Jorja started playing football as a six-year-old with the Tinonee Eagles. She's been involved with Football Mid North Coast in the WPL for the past two seasons and at just 12, is the youngest player in the squad.
However, Jorja doesn't limit herself to the soccer field.
She also plays touch football and league tag.
Jorja's represented Taree touch at the Northern Eagles Junior Championships played in Taree as well as the State Junior Cup held at Port Macquarie. She turns out with Taree Panthers in the Group Three Junior Rugby League girl's league tag and her team won the premiership this year.