Seventeen-year-old Dallas Loughridge knows what it takes to compete on a basketball court, growing up playing against her older brothers in the backyard of their Bena home.

It’s something she’ll lean into when she heads to Canberra this weekend with the Australian under 19s Gems squad for a four-day training camp.

Basketball has been a journey so far for Dallas. Living in Bena, attending school at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, Warragul and training in both Wonthaggi and Dandenong, she spends countless hours committed to the sport.

“I don’t even know how long we travel, probably around 20 hours a week. We drive to Wonthaggi in the morning for training, then school in Warragul then to Dandenong for training in the afternoon,” she said.

After beginning her career with Poowong when she was six, she made the switch to Warragul when she was too old to play juniors and since, Dallas’ passion for the game has only continued to grow.

A year 11 student in the elite sports performers program, she’s able to get her homework completed at school in order to make her training sessions, but her life isn’t without sacrifice.

“I do sacrifice a lot. I don’t go to some things but that’s my choice. I love the game so much and I’m lucky to have close friends in basketball and my friends outside of it are so supportive,” she said.

Playing VJBL for the Dandenong Ranges, Dallas has now recently signed with them for the upcoming NBL1 season, but it hasn’t stopped her from returning to play for Warragul.

A member of the Warragul Warriors women’s CBL side, Dallas’ game has continued to shine for the team this season.