Molly Dickson has done her town proud.
The 15-year-old has returned from representing her country as a part of the U/19 Australian Floorball Team at the World Championships in Switzerland earlier this month.
Her trip was funded by Northam businesses and locals who wanted to help make Molly’s sporting venture a reality.
She has since returned from Switzerland with the Australian side walking away with 14th place in their division.
“The result is as good as we expected and it was as well as we could do,” Molly said.
“It was our first world championships so we weren’t expecting anything spectacular but we got pas, meeting each other for the first time and got to the point were we played well.
“The scores of the games weren’t important compared to us doing our best together as a team.”
Molly’s parents Jo and Geoff went along for the ride.
Jo said it was a surreal moment as a mother.
“The first time we saw her in the green and gold, with Dickson on the back and the coat of arms,” she said.
“I just sat their crying. It was pretty emotional.”
Molly said the whole experience doesn’t feel real.
“It was definitely scary,” she said.
“I was really nervous but nothing compares to it.
“It makes me more hungry for it. I want to keep going with it and don’t want to give it up.”
Her highlight was the experience of playing on the world stage. Molly said she was proud of traveling and doing it by herself but playing was all she was thinking about.
The next step for Molly is putting her attention back into school and playing local netball.
“The floorball season is done now so it’s all netball for me,” she said.
“Wait until the season starts again in October and I’ll play social floorball.
“I’ll keep trying to keep my fitness up because I’m at a level I’m happy with and I still want to push myself.”
Next year the Under-19s team will compete in qualifiers in the Asia-Pacific region in order to compete in the World Championships in 2020.
Molly said she’s under no illusion that she will be guaranteed a place on the team.
“I put my name down and train but knowing that I do have two more World Championships ahead of me, I know what I need and that will help me in the future.
“When we were over there we weren’t guaranteed game time.
“That’s not how it works.
“You’ve got to work for your position and that’s what went through a lot of our heads during training camp.
“In the meantime we had fun and bonded.”
She said the biggest struggle during the trip was adjusting to a new playing position.
“I did change positions so I originally went over their as a forward and came out of training camp as a defender,” Molly said.
“I had a week to learn the ins and outs of a defender. It was a little bit difficult.
“I’m not a forward anymore. I love being a defender.”
