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PRODIGIOUS local hockey talent Emma Corcoran is set to embark on the trip of a lifetime after being selected in the Australian All Schools under-16s hockey side.
Corcoran received the call up to the national team after starring for NSW at the recent Australian Championships at Adelaide, where the Blues finished as runners-up.
The 16-year-old St John's student will now travel to Europe next year and tour Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
"It's amazing, I've never been overseas so it will be awesome," she said, before speaking about how stunned she was to be named in the Australian side.
"It still hasn't really sunk in yet because it was such a massive shock and I wasn't really expecting it but it's pretty amazing and very exciting."
Corcoran was a key player in defence for her NSW side but not even she was prepared for their opening match of the Australian Championships when they came up against a rampant Queensland side.
The northern rivals were fired up for the clash with NSW and blew Corcoran and her teammates off the park, winning 7-0.
Despite that start NSW regrouped and posted five consecutive victories to reach the final and again take on Queensland.
NSW were a vastly different side to the one Queensland had brushed aside on the opening day of the tournament and matched their rivals for long periods of the match but the Maroons just edged in front and were crowned champions after a 1-nil win.
Corcoran was proud of her team's efforts and said after such a poor start it was an incredible feeling to make the national side.
"After the first game, I had a pretty average game, we came back well and I didn't expect it so it was awesome when I head my name called, I didn't really move for about five seconds," she said.
"But our coach was really good, she got us back on the saddle and we weren't going to let anyone beat us after that first game and that's what happened right up until the grand final, but that was still a great game and we were unlucky to lose."
The highly-talented youngster, who will be trialling for the NSW under-18s indoor and outdoor sides in the coming months, said she did the small things right for her side and while there were plenty of players who were more flashy, she was the one who could control things at the back.
Dubbo's own national representative is one of four NSW players who made the 17-girl Australian side which will depart for Europe next May.
The team will fit in plenty of sightseeing and tours in between practice matches before taking part in the four-day Mannheim Tournament. This is followed by tours in Paris, Bruges and Amsterdam.
"Hopefully it's a great tournament and I get to see a bit of the world with some family and friends and meet some new people from all over Australia, it will be great," Corcoran said.