Lily Hreszczuk and Hannah Bennetts are both hugely talented athletes on the rise.
Lily, who is 16 years old, is singing the praises of a leadership program she has just completed, while Hannah, 17, who is about to take part in the Play Like a Girl program, hopes that she too will reap the benefits on offer.
Both young women received a scholarship from Camden Council to join Play Like a Girl – the first leadership program in Australia to guide the personal and professional journey of girls through a sporting lens.
Lily, who lives in Camden, started playing cricket when she was seven years old.
When she turned eight, she played under 10s cricket, where she was the only girl in the team for three years, before she inspired other girls to join in.
When she turned 12, Lily started playing representative cricket for the Campbelltown Camden Ghosts in the Mollie Dive Shield.
She later moved into second grade and now plays first grade cricket for the club.
On her first grade debut, Lily scored 62 not out, but she rates scoring a century as her proudest achievement.
“The whole atmosphere was incredible and to know that all my hard work and training had paid off gave me that extra bit of confidence I had been searching for,” the 16-year-old from Macarthur Anglican School said.
Lily says she learned a great deal from the Play Like a Girl program.
“It taught me how to truly embrace my own skills and leadership style to use to my own advantage and to help others,” she said.
“It has equipped me with many skills and perspectives on approaching life and knowing how to better interact with other people throughout life.”
Hannah Bennetts, from Currans Hill, started physie at Rosemeadow Physical Culture Club when she was just two years old.
Next year will be her milestone 15th year with the club.
Over her time, Hannah has been named Grand Champion, awarded Club Girl twice – once as a junior and another time as a senior, and last year received 10 years of consecutive grand finals recognition.
The Oran Park Anglican College student, who has an eye on a career in motorsport, will shortly begin the Play Like a Girl program.
“I’m excited to learn from other girls within the program and about their journey in sport,” Hannah said.
“As I’m interested in working in motorsport, I’m hoping to learn how to be confident with being a female and to not allow that to push me away from my aspirations.
“I’m also hoping to learn skills I can adopt when working in motorsport which is a very male dominated industry.
“I’m extremely thankful to have received a scholarship into the Play Like a Girl program and hope to take all that I learn into my future career.”
Mayor of Camden, Cr Ashleigh Cagney, selected the two girls for the scholarships from more than 20 applications.
Cr Cagney said she was incredibly proud of Lily and Hannah’s efforts and hoped the program was beneficial.
“We all know that the Matildas’ efforts in the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup have changed female sport in this country forever and it’s so important we continue to foster female talent in sport,” she said.
“I’d like to congratulate Lily and Hannah, who are two of many examples of girls in the Camden area showing everyone what it means to play like a girl.”
