Young Panther to wear the Green and Gold

It was exciting news last week to hear from Rose Nelson pending the announcement of her selection in the U18 Australian Gems to compete in the Asia Cup this September in India. Australia has drawn in Division A, which will see them take on China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and host nation India.

Rose is one of our most popular female athletes and definitely one of the most self motivated athletes we have had come through the ranks at Penrith. Her dedication to skill development, strength, fitness and agility over the past four years has now been rewarded with this selection and we could not be happier for her.

Starting her journey in the Learn to Play program wearing her much loved "Rose" Chicago Bulls singlet, Rose then moved into junior competitions with the Cambridge Park / St Marys Basketball Club where she stayed right up until her last junior games in the U18 girls. She entered the representative program in 2014 as a two year athlete with the U12 Penrith girls and then continued each year for eight years, graduating from juniors playing in every Penrith representative season.

Along the way Rose was selected in NSW Metropolitan State teams in both U16 and U18's as well as numerous selections to Talented Athlete Programs, High Performance Programs, Combined Schools teams and Basketball Australia camps.

Her goals to play basketball at College in the USA along with representing her State and Country will now all be achieved in 2022/2023, as Rose has also been signed with the Fordham University "Rams" in New York and she will leave for the USA immediately after the Asia Cup in India.

We hope to be able to welcome Rose back to the Penrith program in her summer break next year in the Youth Women program if her College and schedule permits this. The USA NCAA Division 1 currently rules do not allow Collegiate athletes to compete in the NBL1 program or any other program considered to be semi professional, which is why our other Penrith female athletes currently in College have been unavailable for selection.

To watch an athlete supported unconditionally by family, set their goals and then work tirelessly to achieve them through the highs and lows of competition and even through injury is truly inspiring. We hope that many of our other young Penrith athletes read this story and are equally inspired.