By DAVID NAGEL
THERE’s just no other way to say it … Hampton Park netballer Emma Ryde is a shooting-star with a one way ticket to the top.
Ryde, who turns 19 in August, is a 197-centimetre goal-shooting machine who has been destined for stardom since the self-proclaimed, “lanky-kid” hit the courts as a 13-year-old in Frankston.
From there, she has continued to grow, but not just in height, with an innate ability to climb every step that has been put before her.
Her list of credentials, even at such a young age, well they’re quite impressive to say the least.
“This is my fourth year in state teams, two under 17s and now this is my second year in the under 19s,” Emma said, before adding quietly, “and I’ve made two Australian squads as well.”
It’s an impressive rise for a girl who followed her sister Zoe, three years her elder, and a current team-mate at Hampton Park, to the Frankston courts one day, and has never looked back.
She recently represented Victoria at the Under-19 National Championships in Sydney, where her stunning goal-shooting performances earned her selection in the Australian Under-19s.
From there it was off to New Zealand, where she represented her country in the Trans-Tasman Under-19 tournament.
Her team Australia Green won the last game of the tournament, a 54 to 53 win over the New Zealand Secondary Schools team, to take the title.
Emma was the second-top goal scorer in the tournament, banking 142 goals from 159 attempts at the ring.
“The trip to New Zealand was awesome, because they play such a different style of netball and we learnt so much as a group,” she said.
“They play more off the body netball, where we’re more one on one, so it’s preparing us for that type of netball in the future, which is a really good for our development.
“It really helped us to get a feel for how they play, and working with the girls from other states was awesome.
“We might play together down the track, and it was just different to anything I’ve ever experienced.”
The Hampton Park star was watching from the sidelines on Saturday, as her side went down to Narre Warren, as she prepared for that night’s Victorian Netball League (VNL) Grand Final, where she shot 40 of Boroondara Express’s 50 goals on its way to upsetting the red-hot favourites, City West Falcons, 50-44, to take the crown.
Emma said the hard work on her shot is starting to pay off as she looks to match it with the very best shooters in the land.
“I’ve worked a lot on my shot, and being more confident in my shot, so every opportunity I get, I turn and shoot now, no matter what distance I’m shooting from,” she said.
“All the goalers are shooting from anywhere now, so I need to be able to do that. Everyone’s branching out now and trying to do more than just the one thing.”
Emma has a busy schedule ahead, after being selected for the Victorian Fury in the Australian Netball League (ANL), which starts this weekend, which will see her travel to all parts of Australia.
“I really enjoy going to all the different states and it’s going to be fun getting to know all of my new team-mates,” she said.
“We haven’t played together yet and flying to all these different places is going to be great fun.”
Emma has also been selected in an elite group that will stay at the Australian Institute of Sport for a 26-day camp that will see her elite training portfolio taken to another level.
Basically, it’s a camp for netballers earmarked as future Australian Diamonds.
Emma said she still shakes her head when she thinks about how far her journey has taken her.
“I was just a tall lanky kid and I’ve just grown so much as a person, I didn’t expect to get this far,” she said.
“I just didn’t see that in my future, but it’s just been a great experience and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and I wouldn’t change a thing.
“I love netball, I want to play it forever, or for as long as I can.
“It’s my passion and I want to get as much out of it as I can before I settle down and get a job and things like that.”
We told you … Emma Ryde has got a one-way ticket to the top!
