2023 International Women’s Day Queensland rookie sporting special
International Women’s Day rookie sporting special. Here’s 35 high class young Queensland women making their way in 18 different sports.
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As International Women’s Day looms, we give you an insight,into just some of the elite young Queensland women kicking sporting goals.
In a state bursting at the seams with high achievers, and in this snapshot we highlight 35 youngsters who ensure Queensland continued to punch above its weight in interstate and international sport.
Jazarah Kamu (golf)
She hails from the football stronghold of Marsden SHS in Logan, but Kamu is using her hand-eye coordination around the golfing greens.
Aged 12, she has a personal best of 79 and “would be really happy if I got anything below that.”
Kamu, who qualified for the prestigious Greg Norman Junior Masters last year, said she loved the sport for a variety of reasons.
“I love making new friends, playing at different golf courses and going on tours to watch professionals play,” she said.
In her corner were her family. “My dad helps me with my game, and my mum, brother and sister support me,” Kamu said.
Kendal Quelch (National All-Boarding Champion and touch football)
Runcorn SHS’s Kendal Quelch is a grand, young sporting talent who is excelling in both wakeboarding and touch football.
A relatively new sport, she started all-boarding after looking for an alternative water sport to skiing which she “hated’’.
“So my parents purchased the multi board, and I just thought it was so much fun,’’ Quelch said.
“I like that you can do so much on it, you can kneel, stand, lay on it. You can do heaps of tricks which is the best part and it really is for anyone no matter your skill or experience. It’s just heaps of fun.
“I do 12 hours a week training on the water, then I go to a personal trainer twice a week.’’
“I mainly train at Maroon Dam, but in the school holidays I go out to Lake Coolmunda and stay and train there.’’
Quelch would love the sport to be considered for Olympic or Commonwealth Games status in the future, and aspire to be No. 1 in the world. “I still have a long way to go but it’s definitely achievable. But at the moment I am happy being No 1 in Australia for my age.’’
Quelch is also a high achiever in touch football.
Indeed she has been in the USA this month playing in a touch football under 15’s mixed team which is travelling to England in July for the Atlantic Youth Cup.
So impressed was Rugby 7s Olympic gold medallist and champion Charlotte Caslick with her achievements, the Queensland sporting champion sent Quelch two Commonwealth Games training singlets in the mail.
“That was amazing. I wear one and have the other hanging up. Hopefully I will have one of my own to hang beside hers one day.’’
Kaitlin Shave (Rugby 7s)
Shave is a Queensland Reds Rugby 7’s player who proved to be a quick learner in the sport after starring as a sprinter.
As a Year 11 student at Clairvaux MacKillop College, Shave ran a 100m PB of 11.92 seconds to dead heat for first place at the Australian Athletics Championships (under 17s).
She had only ever dabbled in rugby 7s at school, and it was not until late 2018 that she played “my first proper 7’s competition Bond University.
“Although I played a little bit of 7’s at school, I never knew the proper rules or how to actually play the game,’’ Shave explained.
“A girl that I used to play touch with got into contact with me and told me that I should come down to Bond University and train with her for the AON Rugby 7’s competition in 2018.
“I went to a couple of sessions before making it into the team for the last round of AON in Adelaide where I was super out of my league.
“However I got picked up from there from the likes of Reg Tayler and Lachlan Parkinson and soon got invited into the Queensland Academy of Sport squad.’’
It was the team environment which really hooked Shave on to the sport.
“I really enjoy the team aspect of Rugby 7’s. I come from a background of gymnastics and sprinting when I was younger which are both very individual sports.
“So getting into playing touch and eventually rugby was a big difference, but I realised I really thrived off a team environment.’’
Grateful for career advice from Alicia Lucas (nee Quirk) who Shave said “paved the way of women playing rugby after winning a gold medal at the Olympics in 2016’’,
Shave said her long term goal was to “eventually get a full-time position in the national program with the Women’s Australian 7’s team.
“My short term ambitions were to try to improve each competition I played and try make my way up the ranks.
“Starting off playing club and now into the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) squad as well as the Australia A squad have all been at one stage short term ambitions for me to achieve.’’
Kiarra Milligan (Diving)
A Carindale native, 19-year-old Milligan was the Australian Junior Diving Team captain who was a top 10 performer at the World International Junior Diving Meet in Montreal, Canada.
Selected onto the “Australian Dream 24/28 team”, she has been identified by Diving Australia as a young woman with the integrity, high skill set and dedication to become a 2024 or 2028 Olympian.
She was eighth in her 3m and ninth in the 1m at the world juniors, and is looking forward to her next International competition, representing Australia at the World University Games in China during August.
Milligan is from a sporting family – with her three sisters having all represented Queensland in a variety of sports.
Kiarra and her twin Denby have represented Australia juniors in diving, while Jayda, 17, and Zarah, 14, have both represented Queensland in water polo.
Twins Kiarra and Denby were first selected to represent Queensland at the age of 9, and travelled interstate every year since then to compete at nationals.
Five years later they were on the Australian Junior Diving Team, competing at the FINA World Junior Diving Championships which were in Ukraine.
Aged 19, the Moreton Bay College alumni now lives in the USA after being offered an International Sporting University Scholarship at the prestigious University Of Michigan.
Chelsea Johnson (water polo)
Emerging Queensland water polo talent Chelsea Johnson distinctly remembers when she felt her game was on the up in the sport.
It was at the national championships in Albury Wodonga and she was a part of an exciting new club called Mermaids which were kicking goals.
“My first memory of water polo would have to be winning our first national championship in Albury Wodonga as under 14-year-olds, that’s when everything started to click and go upward from there,’’ Johson said.
The St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School alumni had started playing aged 8 years - she was in an under 13 competition of all things - but that first national championship appearance was a defining moment in her young career.
“I enjoy all aspects of the sport, the friendships that are made, the way you can challenge each other to be the best version of yourself, the way the sport can take you all around the world and discover all different cultures,’’ she said.
And what were her short and long-term ambitions?
“I would like to make the Olympics one day and in the lead up to that, continue to make Australian junior teams and hopefully get to go to college in America to study and play water polo,’’ she said.
Poppy Lochran (water polo)
A 13-year-old from the powerhouse Mermaids club, Lochran first started in the sport during a winter learn to play camp.
“I rocked up in a long sleeved swimsuit with an old swim cap and goggles,’’ the Brisbane State High School student recalled.
“I got in the pool with coach Juliano Astone and it was an absolute blast. I don’t wear long leaves anymore,’’ she joked.
That was when she was aged 10 in 2019 after “falling in love with the sport immediately’’, she started learning more about the game.
“I especially love learning from the coaches and my teammates,’’ Lochran said.
“I look up to so many players, Rowie Webster, Tilly Kearns and Maggie Steffens and more closer to home I aspire to be as skilled as Bless Daly and Taafili Taoso.’’
Her immediate goal is to make the Queensland team in her age group this year and then the Aussie Cadets.
“Long term I would love to attend and play at Stanford Uni,’’ said Lorchran, who helped her under 14 Mermaids Pink side win the nationals in Perth earlier this year.
“I was fortunate enough to receive MVP of the tournament. To be awarded this among so many great players was a real privilege.’’
Jonti Fisher (soccer)
You hear about water babies, well Kelvin Grove State College’s Jonti Fisher was a football bub.
After all she started playing aged three years and just loves everything about the sport. “I love that when I walk onto the field, no matter what the circumstances are, my mind flushes all the negative thoughts away and I can just focus on what I love the most and perform at a high level,’’ Fisher explained.
And she is very good at it as well.
How’s this for a list of achievements:
+ NPLW Rising Star award in South Australia in 2020.
+ Played for Australian under 18’s (Junior Matilda’s) in AFF tournament in Palembang, Indonesia, in July-August 2022.
+ Scored in my Junior Matilda’s debut against Malaysia.
+ Played for Australian under 20’s (Young Matilda’s) in Four Nations tournament in Canberra, Australia, in November 2022.
+ Scored in my second game for Young Matilda’s as captain against Fiji Senior Women’s National team.
+ Chosen to represent Australian School Girls in America 2023.
Fisher has been inspired by Alessia Russo, a star player for both the Manchester United and the England Women’s teams.
“She is a great player on the field and an incredible person off the field. This is someone I strive to become as she represents what I thrive for.’’
Luna Shimogaki (figure skating)
Queensland is blessed to have so many exciting young figure skaters and they don’t come more promising than Shimogak, a 13-year-old from the Iceworld Figure Skating Club.
She was just aged five when she first started in the sport after being inspired, believe it or not, by seeing the sport in a cartoon. “ I was watching a cartoon show and got curious to start learning.
“I enjoy jumping, landing my triple jumps which makes me and my coach happy.’’
Shimogaki has long respected Yuzuru Hanyu, a Japanese figure skater because he works harder than anyone and always achieves his goals’’.
“Even if he fails, he always gets back up onto his feet which encourages me to work harder.’’
Shimogaki said her short term ambition was to land “all my triple jumps by the end of the season’’ and her long term goal was to do a clean program in every competition and win a gold medal.
Sophie Malclom (rowing)
Queensland supplied an Olympic bronze medal winner at the Tokyo Games in All Hallows’ School old girl Caitlin Cronin, and will Malcolm be next?
What a young achiever the Centenary Rowing Club member is.
A Brisbane State High School alumni, she is a one girl rowing machine who has been the No. 1 state and national junior athlete across single scull, lightweight double scull and quadruple scull gold.
Also an elite cross country runner, Malcolm joined her sister Jessica in winning the 2022 national championship under 21 double scull.
Georgina West (hockey)
A St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School sporting captain, the West is in both an Australian under 18s Futures and also an Australian women’s junior squad member.
A renowned attacking midfielder from Kedron Wavell, she captained the Queensland Maroon (No. 1) side at the 2022 under 18 nationals where she was a prolific goal scorer, and this year will push for selection at the Women’s Junior Word Cups in December 2023.
West is a Queensland under 21s player and member of the Brisbane Blaze senior squad.
Kaylee Tamala (Volleyball)
The year 11 student at Canterbury College is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to court sports.
In 2022, she was a finalist for the Logan City Sports Awards after being named in the U15 Queensland merit teams for both volleyball and netball.
She was also awarded Most Valuable Player of the tournament at the U15 National School Girls’ Volleyball Championships, an accolade that makes her highly sort after for 2023.
Tamala is also a first-class sprinter, representing Canterbury as part of their Taipans Athletics Club in the TAS competition.
Sienna Owen (water polo)
Owen is a 16-year-old student from St Peter’s Lutheran College who started at the Mermaids club after watching her older sister play.
“I enjoyed being in a team with different girls and I just enjoy playing games against different opponents,’’ said the young representative player.
“My short term goals are making the junior Australian team and a long term ambition is going to the states and playing a different style of waterpolo.
Isabelle Carnes (Cycling)
Carnes has wasted no time in making her name known in the cycling senior ranks.
In January this year she won the Women’s under 23 Individual Time Trial national championship and finished seventh among the elite women.
At just 18, Carnes placed eighth in the UCI Road World Championships Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial in Wollongong last September. She is a thrilling talent in her sport and one to keep an eye on.
Holly Comyns (netball)
After a breakout Nissan State Titles with the Carina League Club Tigers, Comyns made her HSS Ruby team debut in 2022 while also winning Queensland Merit team selection for the under 19s.
She is part of a white hot group of young netballers surging through the Tigers ranks, which includes another talent from the rich Canterbury College nursery, with Tia Crombie and Aaliyah Shepperd. And another Tiger cub, Sarah Joyce, a Moreton Bay College student with a fierce competitor.
Hannah Casey (swimming)
From the old school of triple Olympic gold medallist Meg Harris (Mt St Michael), the towering Casey is Queensland’s latest freestyle sprint youth sensation.
A Marist College Ashgrove swim club junior, Casey is tall and powerful, not unlike Cate Campbell, which is ironic given her 100m time in her age group is second only to Campbell (53.30) after winning the 100m in 54.30.
She also broke the Australian record for her age group in the 200m freestyle (1:58.49) and is a Queensland senior squad member and Australian junior squad member.
Shalom Sauaso (rugby and league)
Australian under 18s rugby union schoolgirls rep, the Ipswich SHS student is also a rugby league young gun who was a Queensland schoolgirls under 15s merit team selection and has been touted for selection in the under 18s this year.
A strong, powerful runner in dummy half and lock, she has also been gifted with incredible ball skills,’’ said her school coach Veronica White “She is also a dominant defender and will be one to watch.’’
Tallulah Civoniceva and Emilee Solomon (softball)
Civoniceva is a softballing prodigy who keeps on keeping on season after season.
From the Redcliffe Softball Association, the daughter of rugby league legend Petero plays first and third base for the Queensland Heat (Open Women’s) team and has also progressed into the Aussie Diamonds under 18s squad.
She refines her skills playing with the Galveston College in Texas.
Another bright sporting spark is Emilee Solomon, a Brisbane Softball Association junior who pitches for the Queensland Heat.
Like Tallulah, Solomon is a Aussie Diamonds squad member who was named the 2022/23 SQI Super Series Most Valuable Player
Havana Harris and Tara Harrington (Australian football)
The sun shines brightly on the Gold Coast and there were also plenty of bright footy talent within the Suns AFL operation.
None were more impressive than Havana Harris and Tara Harrington, both 16-year —olds who were thrilling young talents.
Harris, a Varsity College student, joined Harrington in the Queensland 15s and 18s, and the Suns 16s and 18s years teams last year.
But Burleigh Bombers junior Harris went one better, making the All Australian under 18 side last season.
Harris is athletic, a tall girl who can play ruck or forward. She is powerful, skilful, and clean with strong hands overhead. Harris can also kick goals.
Harrington, a Palm Beach Currumbin SHS student from the Broadbeach Cats system, is a powerful midfielder with very good hands inside the contest.
She also has good foot skills and is a noted decision maker, all the while having a great eye – which is probably why she is also an elite golfer.
Skyla Adams (rugby union – and league)
Adams is a thrilling rugby product with great vision and skills.
Her journey in sport started as a prominent netballer and touch football player in Perth, before she moved to the Gold Coast in primary school.
She was initially at Coomera State School and Helensvale SHS, but eventually settled at Keebra Park SHS.
Adams said all her coaches along the way had contributed to her making the Reds Super W squad, but her first touch coach in Queensland, Lawrence Faifua, had played a big role.
“He was my first touch coach and he has always trained me,’’ Adams said.
Sienna Kaczmarczyk (figure skating)
An Australian Figure Skater Junior international representative, the 14-year-old started in the sport 10 years ago at “tiny tots’’ leave after first glimpsing figure skating on television.
“When I was three I saw ice skating on TV on ABC for kids and Dora the Explorer, so I wanted to go and try,’’ the Boondall Ice Skating Club junior said.
“I loved it straight away and I didn’t want to use the skating frame to hold onto.
“I continued to skate and go through the levels. I was about 9 when I started skating more and changed coaches.
“I love ice skating as it's a constant challenge, as you are always learning new tricks and or trying to perfect them.
“Learning new programs to a different variety of music styles for body movement to dancing on ice.
“It keeps me fit and I love the many friends I have made throughout Australia and overseas.’’
She said win, lose or drawn she loved competing and “it’s always thrilling to get personal best score or to land that new jump you have been working towards perfecting.’’
Grateful for the coaching she has received, Kaczmarczyk said she has always looked up to Keegan Messing of Canada. “He is a fantastic entertainer on the ice and he mastered some of the hardest jumps.
“While he has been to two Olympics and three world championships he had never medalled at any major championship.’’
But in February he managed to come second, first championship medal. “I find that truly inspirational for him to continue doing what he loves at the highest level at 31 and to be still highly competitive,’’ she said.
Kaczmarczyk said she was proud of her comeback effort after not having a great “Australian nationals’’.
“A week later in Jakarta at the Asian Open I came fourth to a fairly strong field.
I got three personal best scores and over 16 points overall score and obtained the junior world qualifying scores.
“Unfortunately Australia only has one spot so I’m the reserve, so that's disappointing to be so close.
“But I’m so proud of how I over came my nerves to achieve this.
“This makes my long term goal for next season to be able to use that score and represent Australia at Junior worlds?
“I would also like to represent Australia in another Junior Grand Prix next season.
I hope that I can be considered for the 2028 Olympics if I can stay healthy, injury free and to continue to improve in my ice skating journey.’’
Amelia Weber (swimming)
She is a junior Dolphin who has won more medals than you can poke a stick at during a glittering All Ages swimming career.
But do you know what arguably the highlight of her career has been so far - it was being co-captain of the St Peters Lutheran College swimming team which won the QGSSSA championship for a record 10th successive year on Wednesday night.
It is a moment she has aspired to achieve since being a Year 6 student, and it was made all the more emotional because she swam with a broken finger.
But wild horses would not have stopped her representing her school that night.
Caitlin Van Der Kruk (golf)
This Kelvin Grove State College golfing ace first started playing aged five and has flourished in the sport since.
Her list of prominent achievements include:
+ 2022 All Australian School Sport Team
+ 2022 All Collegiate Team Member
+ 2022 Kelvin Grove Sportswomen of the Year
+ 2018-2022 Kelvin Grove Female Golfer of the Year
“I enjoy the competitiveness of the game and the opportunity it gives me to meet people around Australia,’’ Van Der Kruk said.
She said she admired Cassie Porter, who recently turned into a WPGA player.
“I used to play against her when I was much younger in junior tournaments and was amazed by her game.
“To now see her reach professional rankings after many hardships is really inspiring,’’ Van Der Kruk said.
Taafili Taoso (water polo)
Talk about a talent on the rise.
Now aged 17 year, the Brisbane State high school student from the Mermaids Club has been a quick learner after first playing in the sport in the under 13s.
A current Queensland Thunder star, Taoso has grown up admiring four-time Olympian Bronwen Knox who she played with and against, a person who has left an indelible mark on her.
“I mean she is an outstanding player with an amazing shot, and as a senior, she’s is always willing to teach us younger players all the secrets of the games,’’ Taoso praised.
Taoso said her first memory of water polo was when her side played a grand final against All Hallows’ School in the under 13s, but she never got in the water.
“Since I didn’t have much experience playing with everyone and playing the game I sat on the bench for that whole game.
“After the final, I was happy for my team but I was also kinda bummed about not playing so I decided to work really hard, learn a lot of new things so the next time we had a final I would play some of the game or be in the starting sevens.’’
She said she has loved travelling to different states playing with “some of my closest friends’’ all the while being challenged by the coaches and different training ideas.
Taoso’s short term ambition was making the Australian youth under 18 team while also aspiring to make the under 20 worlds team.
“My long-term ambition is hopefully making it into the Olympics in 10 or so years, as well as having a boyfriend and finishing uni,’’ she said.
Lyvante Su’emai (athletics)
A Marsden State High School alumni, Su’emai joins Law as world junior championship representatives, both as an Australian athletics young guns on the track and in the field.
Su’emai, proud of her Polynesians heritage, is motivated by the prospect of showcasing “everything I represent – family, community and culture – to the world.’’
She is an elite hammer and discus athlete.
Marli Cetinich (Volleyball)
Another Canterbury College prospect, Marli Cetinich is a fellow Queensland volleyball talent in the making.
Over the years, she has represented south coast at Queensland School Sport level, and has been selected on numerous occasions to wear the maroon jersey as a Queensland rep.
In early 2023, she competed at the Australian Junior Beach Volleyball Tour and saw success with her teammate Daisey Mabin.
Mia Geere (Australian football)
Lions’ fans, here’s a name to remember. A Brisbane Lions Academy member, Geere hails from the Wilston Grange JAFC where she learned the skills to help her into the under u16 Brisbane Lions Academy, the under 15 Queensland Schoolgirls and into the under 15 All-Australian Schoolgirls team.
Ellie Brice and Jade Delany (netball)
Brice has transitioned from defence to midcourt and this has made her a greater player than she already was. Now in wing defence, the USC Thunder star’s defensive skills and height has really impressed, earning Queensland under 17 squad selection. She has a great future ahead of her after being in the USC Thunder Ruby team at just 16-years-old
Another cross code-talent, goalkeeper Delaney has had an incredible year being named in both the Queensland and Australian U17 squads and again the Queensland under 17 squad for 2023. Her height and elevation makes her a natural in the sport, and it was no surprise the USC Thunder Ruby team called on her for this season despite being aged just 16 years.
Jordan Bliss (hockey)
What’s in the water in Mackay when it comes to producing elite hockey talent? The women’s junior squad member joined Colwill in the 2019 helping Mackay to its drought breaking under 18 state championship win. A former St Patrick’s College Mackay school captain, the 19-year-old goalkeeper has been a Queensland representative since aged under 12s.
Throw fellow Mackay talents Jamie-Lee Surha (Mackay) and Demi Walker, whose cousin is Kirtsen Dwyer and whose sister is Keeley, and you have a sporting gold mine of talent from the sugar farming township.
Grace Dixon (hockey)
The Matthew Flinders Anglican College product is a young forward who has something a coach cannot teach – speed to burn.
A Cooloola Heat product, she also has a great game awareness and continues to improve after first breaking into a Queensland side in 2019 at under 15 level.
Last year she was a goal scoring machine in helping Queensland No. 2 to its 2022 upset national championship win. Dixon joins the likes of Meka Crick (Maryborough), (Maryborough), her Heritage City teammate Annelyse Tevant, Madeline Kenny (Fraser Coast) (Maryborough) and Hannah Cullum-Sanders (Maryborough) as brilliant hockey talents from the north and Fraser Coast regions.
Tilly Hughes (water polo)
Water polo has the St Rita’s College, Clayfield, program for introducing Hughes into the sport.
It was her first year at a new school when she tried out for the under 12 school side and immediately fell in love with the sport.
“My dad showed me a video of a water polo game and it looked really exciting, and by
the time I had finished my first training session I had fallen in love with the game,’’ Hughes explained.
“I have loved the friendships I make, I loved the competition and the challenge of playing and
learning.
“I also enjoy the physicality of the game and the feeling of winning especially after a
tough battle.’’
After starting at St Rita’s, Hughes, 17, now plays club for the powerful North Brisbane Polo Bears where she receives tuition from past and present greats.
“There are so many people I look up to in the water polo community, however, particular
standouts for me are Jodie Stuhmcke and Naomi McCarthy (Olympic champions).
“I look up to them for what they have achieved in the game and I am also grateful for how they have shared their knowledge and experience with me.’’
Hughes now aspires to make her National League debut for the Queensland Thunder side in 2023 after representing Australia in the FINA Cadet World Championships last year.
“This gave me the taste of international competition. I am keen to build upon this experience hopefully in next year’s FINA Youth World Championships and eventually for the Stingers one day.
“Naturally an opportunity to play in our home town Olympics in 2032 is a very
exciting future prospect.’’
Tiresa Elika (rugby league)
Elika outplayed the Newcastle Knights in the recent under 17s Titans future Academy trial game, making huge metres in the middle while dominating with strong defence.
Selected for the under 18s Australian Schoolgirls team which played Fiji last year, Elika’s “discipline will likely help develop her game further in what will be an exciting year of women and girls rugby league this year’’, according to her coach Veronica White.
Tia Crombie (netball)
Crombie cracked the HSS Ruby ranks in 2022 along with Canterbury College peers Holly and Aaliyah.
Just weeks into her debut season, the 16-year-old was brought in to fill in for an injured player for the Sapphire Tigers side.
She went on to make her second Queensland squad, and was recently named in the final 12 for the 2023 National Netball Championships.
Claire Colwill (hockey)
The boom 20-year-old midfielder is among the best two or three teenagers in the business, having broken into the Hockeyroos in clashes with New Zealand during the trans-Tasman Series in May. She also played for Australia at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, winning a silver medal. A young achiever, the St Patrick’s Mackay product was a Brisbane Blaze representative as early as aged 16, and last year was nominated for the 2021 Queensland Junior Sports Star of the Year. Another moment to cherish earlier in her career was taking Mackay to the under 18 state championship win for the first time in almost three decades.
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