Net this, then celebrate

A Christchurch teenager is putting her 18th birthday celebrations on hold to play netball for her country.

Alexandra Sinclair is the only youngster from the south coast playing in the England U19 team at the Netball Europe Championships in Glasgow in March.

The 17-year-old, known as Alex, says she is currently too busy training for the championships five times a week to risk celebrating her birthday on 3 Feb.

But the former Twynham School pupil says she doesn’t mind, and plans to make up for it at half term.

“I usually play goal keeper, the last line of defence,” said Alex.

“We’ll be taking on teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. I’m very excited to be playing for my country.”

Alex was chosen from a group of more than 25 hopefuls and has been part of the England talent programme for the past two years, also training with the U21 squad at Bath University.

Her home club, Weston Park Blades in Southampton, scooped the winning trophy at the England U19 national tournament last December.

And this success follows a year of disappointment after injury kept her out of the game for most of the 2007 season.
Ironically, sport is not Alex’s chosen career.

“I want to join the RAF as a pilot. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.

“But if I’m lucky enough to be accepted, the RAF has said they will sponsor my sport so hopefully I can do both.”

A keen netballer since 12, first with Peeks in Christchurch, Alex was talent-spotted at an inter-club tournament and invited to trial for the England U17 talent squad.