Maisie Nankivell keen to impress after signing as a training partner with the Adelaide Thunderbirds

Teenager Maisie Nankivell is sharing the court with her childhood hero after being named a training partner with the Thunderbirds.

Maisie Nankivell has been named as one of the Adelaide Thunderbirds’ training partners for 2019. Picture: AAP/Keryn Stevens

MAISIE Nankivell was a netball-mad youngster who idolised Natalie von Bertouch.

Now, 13 years after first dreaming to follow in von Bertouch’s footsteps, Nankivell is a training partner with the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

Von Bertouch is a specialist midcourt coach at the Thunderbirds, making the 19-year-old’s selection even more special.

Training partners can be elevated to the Thunderbirds’ playing list if someone suffers an injury or is underperforming.

Maisie Nankivell playing for Matrics in 2017. Picture: Stephen Laffer

“From quite an early age, it’s always been my dream to play netball at the highest level,” Nankivell, of Cowandilla, says.

“I was seriously obsessed with netball when I was younger and I always looked up to Nat von Bertouch and Julie Corletto.

“They were such team players, hard working and I liked the way they held themselves on and off the court, and I wanted to sort of model what they were doing.

“Just to be named a training partner is a reward for all the dedication and sacrifice that I’ve put in.

“The end goal is to be playing for the Diamonds and representing the country, so this gives me a bit more exposure of that intensity you need to be at.”

Nankivell, originally from Mundulla, a small town in the southeast, moved to Adelaide in 2015 and was a boarder at Immanuel College.

She has lined up with Matrics since relocating to Adelaide and represented the state at junior level, captaining the silver-medal winning SA team at last year’s under-19 nationals.

Nankivell, who is studying a Bachelor of Criminology at Adelaide University, is also an under-19 Australian representative.

Maisie Nankivell is also playing football after joining the Crows. Picture: Tom Huntley

“It’s been pretty full-on since moving to Adelaide, but I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she says.

Netball is not the only sport that has Nankivell’s attention – she is also a rookie with Adelaide’s AFLW team, having signed in October.

Juggling football and netball training is sometimes tough.

But she is enjoying it and knows she may have to quit football eventually if she earns a spot on the Diamonds’ list

“I’m absolutely loving doing both sports – I’m going to see if I can continue doing both for as long as possible.

“But ultimately if I was to go further with my netball and be a contract player, that’s when I would have to chose between the two.”