By JARROD POTTER
LEADERSHIP ambitions are the driving force for Dandenong Rangers representative Leia Hanafin.
The young point guard wants the basketball in her hand, to call the plays and to help out her team any way she can.
That hunger and desire to guide her team has earned the Dandenong Rangers’ under-14.1 bottom ager a place in the School Sport Victoria (SSV) under-12 basketball team.
Hanafin, 12, from Rowville, has staked her place in the back-court for seven years and hopes to call the set pieces from the point guard position when she represents the state next month in Queensland.
She couldn’t believe at first when her name was called out as one of the final 10 to head off to the championships.
“It took a while to actually realise that I was doing it,” Hanafin said.
“I couldn’t believe it.”
She wants to become captain of the SSV team and hopefully earn a national championship in the process as the team is as strong as her determination to succeed.
“I want us to come first and want to become captain,” Hanafin said.
“I’d like to become captain as it would be really good to become captain of a Victorian team.”
“There are three guards in the team and maybe I’ll be the starting shooting guard.
“I think we’re good because I’ve played against most of these girls before.”
Hanafin will head to Townsville, Queensland to compete in the School Sport Australia 12-and-under girls’ basketball championships from 16-23 August.
Her Rangers’ team – coming off a fourth place finish in the National Junior Classic – are off to Brisbane to participate in the under-14 national championships later this year as well, making for a lot of flight time for the young basketball star.
