Sunday Aryang is in her second season as a training partner with West Coast Fever and it is a season the 19-year-old will not forget.
After debuting for the Perth side last year, in her only game for the season, Aryang has stepped up to the challenge of not only being away from her family for the first time, but also becoming a regular defensive pillar for Fever.
“It’s been really good so far. Just coming here at first, I was kind of nervous and scared about it, but ever since I’ve been here it’s been really good, and the girls have really helped calm me,” Aryang said.
“At first it was kind of difficult just because I’ve never been away for this long and now it’s getting easier as it goes.”
Aryang has regularly taken to the court and substituted Stacey Francis in goal defence and has fitted in seamlessly alongside goal keeper and Captain Courtney Bruce.
“That definitely boosted my confidence, it gives me that sense that Stacey does believe in me and she thinks that I’m able to do it,” Aryang said.
The goal defender describes her game style as two-fold: “I’m able to stay on the body and contest first ball, but I’m also able to split off.”
In Round 3 against the Giants, Aryang was listed in the starting seven for the first time in her career, then again in Round 6 against the Firebirds; to say it came as a surprise is an understatement.
“It was a really good experience, I wasn’t expecting it, once I got out there, I felt so comfortable and it felt good.”
The rewards are paying off for Fever and Aryang; after a long pre-season and some hard training, Aryang has been receiving praise from outside the club, but the goal defender is only focussed on what is happening inside the club. And there have been many benefits to spending the past seven weeks in a Queensland hub with the team.
“My voice, just because I’m naturally just a quiet person and I'm not really good at speaking up and talking, but I guess just being here I’ve been a bit louder,” Aryang said.
While it has been a long time away from home, playing mid-week games with little more than two to three day turnarounds, Aryang said the team is focussed on pushing hard for the rest of the season and having been undefeated for the past six rounds has helped keep spirits high.
“Team morale is really good, I think everyone is in such a good headspace at the moment and we’re really trying to push to get into finals, that’s a good mindset to keep.”
This year’s success continues for Aryang, on Thursday, she was named in the Australian 21/Under squad ahead of the 2021 Netball World Youth Cup. Last year Aryang was a member of the 19U Australian Squad as well as being a key member of the Western Sting.
