Jenna adds AFL football to her list of sporting achievements

Jenna McCormick will represent her state at the forthcoming National AFL Football competition.  To be held in on the Gold Coast in mid-September, Jenna joins an already experienced and talented squad of girls from Adelaide.  However, before that, Jenna will don the SA strip once again, to represent the state at soccer.  This will be her second year representing the State Schoolgirls team.  2011 sees the competition in her home state and will be held at the new Burton Park Soccer facility in Salisbury from the 13^th – 19^th August.  2010 was a highlight with Jenna being selected as a ‘shadow’ player for the Australian Schoolgirls team, so in 2011 Jenna hopes to go one step further and make the Australian squad.  Yet another highlight for Jenna has been the invitation to trial for Adelaide United’s W-League women’s team.  These trials which began this week, saw Jenna score 3 goals in the trial match – the only goal scorer for the evening.  A number of Premier & state league players were invitied to attend.  Next week a select few will join the SASI and state players to determine a W-League team for the 201/2012 season.  As a player in the weekly Adelaide Airport Women’s State league competition for the first time in 2011, Jenna leads the goal scoring with 13 goals this season.  Needless to say, it will be difficult to win a place at this stage.

Jenna made a decision this year to move to Adelaide to pursue these sporting aspirations.  She is currently a Boarder at the Walford Anglican School for girls in Unley.  Even in the first half of this year, she has seen the benefit of living in the city.  Whilst the weekly trips to Adelaide to train or play has been replaced by many trips to and from training.  Twice a week she trains at Pennington Oval for her state league team – Western District Toros.  Her coach Leigh Matthews has been very supportive ensuring transport to and from both training and the weekly game is in hand.  The SANFL have also supported Jenna in getting her to Semaphore for weekly football training, thanks to her coach Tim Stewart.  State schoolgirls training is also held weekly with support from the assistant Coach Leigh Matthews and coach Viv Derrick.

With her focus keenly on soccer and football, it is hard to see her focus on the forthcoming state cricket trials…. Her hand may well be forced if she is successful in gaining selection in the  W-League's Adelaide United squad.

The Walford Boarding school staff have been very supportive of Jenna’s busy schedule and are impressed with her high level of organisation and her ability to balance her school work with her sporting pursuits.  So 2011 has already looked bright with the move to Adelaide, having represented  her state in the National Cricket Championships in January, the State schoolgirls Soccer in August and the National AFL Championships in September.  Whatever the immediate outome with the W-League, Jenna will continue to pursue her sporting dreams.