Oran Park hockey keeper Natasha Ball kicks off Junior Sports Star awards for 2015

ORAN PARK hockey star Natasha Ball is an outstanding representative to hit off the new season of the Macarthur Chronicle Junior Sports Star awards.

Natasha Ball (14), showing her flexibility.

ORAN PARK hockey star Natasha Ball is an outstanding representative to hit off the new season of the Macarthur Chronicle Junior Sports Star awards.

The annual rebel-sponsored competition, which has been a benchmark for young sports men and women across Sydney and the central coast since 2004, rewards the athletes for not only their successes but also their drive and determination through the Young Sporting Spirit award.

There are also open categories for Service to Sport and Team Spirit.

Natasha Ball (14), showing her flexibility.

Ball, 14, is a young athlete who has a passion to one day represent Australia at the Olympic Games.

The teenager took up hockey in 2008 with Mounties Hockey Club, and hasn’t looked back. In 2010 she was asked to play goalkeeper and, as she says, “I loved it”.

More importantly, she’s a standout in the position.

Pictured is Natasha Ball (14), from Oran Park.

In 2010 and 2014 she was the club Goalkeeper of the Year and also in 2014 the Macarthur Hockey Association under-15 junior Best and Fairest player.

Ball’s outstanding 2014 season — an under-18 division two NSW crown and under-15 division one runners-up — culminated with her selection as the NSW under-15 goalkeeper for the national championships in Queensland next month.

For Ball, a highlight so far was being in the guard of honour at a Hockeyroos v Argentina game in 2011.

“I got to walk out on the field accompanying my idol, Toni Cronk, the Australian goalkeeper,” she said.