Grace Larkins | U16 Country Vic Emergency

Grace Larkins has continued to impress in 2021 with Basketball Victoria today announcing she has been selected as an emergency to the Country Victoria Under-16 State Team as a bottom age player!

A perennial performer on the national stage, the Victoria Country Under-16 Women is out to return to the top of the podium in 2021 following its 2019 bronze medal winning performance in Darwin, Northern Territory.

Our Laneway Espresso Senior Women Head Coach and Larkin’s junior coach, Peter Caspersz was extremely pleased to see Grace’s hard work pay off saying “What an amazing achievement as a bottom age player to be selected is truly a testament of the hard work and dedication that Grace puts in day in day out, I speak for the whole Sharks program in saying how proud we all are of her and as her coach I been in awe of her attitude and work ethic but not surprised that she made this selection, great work Grace keep it up!”

For returning head coach Mat Holmes, 2021 is the chance to see the next generation of elite Victoria Country talent make their mark at the national level. 

“It’s such a fantastic feeling to be planning for AJCs again – after the disappointment of missing out last year, it’s so enjoyable to be working towards a common goal with a great group of staff and players,” Holmes said. “The Victoria Country team has an abundance of fast, long athletic wings, some smart crafty guards and hardworking creative bigs. 

“This will lend us to an up-tempo game style with plenty of heat of the rim.  

“Our flexibility in line ups will be a strength, with a number of the players able to play multiple positions, so this group should be able to compete with any team we come across.  

“Tryouts were intense this year – the teams were evenly matched; the players went extremely hard at each other, and we saw some exceptional high-level hoops.   

“This inevitably led to exceedingly hard decisions in selection, with many talented players missing a spot. 

“Although tough on the players and coaches, it’s a great indication that our program is working, and the athletes are committed to it.”