The Netball World Youth Cup is the pinnacle World Netball event for emerging players who are under 21 and will be held from 19 to 28 September in Gibraltar.
Jauncey’s selection in the squad comes off the back of a huge year. She was named in the 21/U National team, won a West Coast Fever Reserves premiership, captained the Black Swans, was assistant coach for the First Nations WA Team and co-captained her GIG WANL team the West Coast Warriors.
Jauncey said her initial emotion to finding out about her selection was to cry.
“I’m not a big crier, but as soon as I found out over the facetime call with the coaches I was just crying,” she said.
“I then got to tell my family and friends; they were all so excited for me.
“I’m really proud to be representing my family and my culture as well, being the only Indigenous player in the team.”
Jauncey is the first Indigenous player to be selected in the squad in 20 years, something she doesn’t take lightly.
“It’s crazy that it has been 20 years since someone has made it,” she said.
“Hopefully being that player will help open the pathway for more Indigenous athletes to come through and show them that they can make a team like the Under 21s.”
Jauncey has faith in what the squad can do, along with some expected nerves and excitement.
“We have a really strong squad with heaps of Suncorp Super Netball girls flooded through there, as well as Reserves girls,” she said.
“I’m really excited to see how we all gel together at camp and the tournament.”
Janucey, along with fellow WA pathway product Jasmah Haywood and West Coast Fever athlete Olivia Wilkinson, have been spending time together training in Perth before camp.
“We’re making sure we are pushing each other to the hardest we can so we’re ready for the competition over there,” she said.
“I’ve also been working with Guy Keene [Netball WA Talent Coach] basically every day in the gym or training over the last few years, he’s helped my netball so much.”
Jauncey said having the experience of representing her First Nations culture and her country has helped her as an athlete greatly.
“It’s great that I have the opportunity to do both,” she said.
“Since I’ve played for the Black Swans, I’ve already played against some of the competition’s athletes and know what to expect.
“Having a mixture of different pathways has helped me so much, I get to have different coaches’ opinions who come from different places and that only improves my game.”
The Netball World Youth Cup commences on Friday and is available to watch free, live and on demand, on NetballPass and the Netball World Cup (NWC) YouTube channel.
