Costello has worked hard to improve her endurance, speed and skill mostly on an individual training program sheltered from the wind, if not the cold, under the tin roof of Ballarat Netball Association courts. Often alone.

Persistence paid off. Traditionally a circle defender, Costello has staked a spot in the Fijian Pearls’ mid-court where she hopes to pull on that C bib in August.

“Trials were really hard. I’ve really been working hard to play centre and working on my fitness and agility,” Costello said.

“I’ve been doing my own running in the mornings and gym and going here (BNA) to do my own training on courts.”

Costello has been back about a week from selection trials in Fiji and quickly hit Ballarat courts to keep training. She gets match play with Dela Assuntas in the BNA’s premier league and Dunnstown in the Central Highlands Netball League.

A Victorian Netball League season with Ballarat Pride last year, and a short stint with Sovereigns, helped improve Costello’s game. Costello said she learned a lot from the experience that she hopes will take her to the next level.

Her next step is massive. The 21-year-old has a test match coming up against netball super power, New Zealand’s Silver Ferns, in Wellington next month.

Costello has already had a taste of netball with the Pearls. She represented Fiji in the under-21 world cup in Scotland and a one-off match against Malawi two years ago, then a call-up for a tri-series plus one against Northern Ireland, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands last year. 

But even those crowds are nothing like the hype she expects for World Cup matches in Sydney. Costello is excited about putting her game before big crowds.

Fiji is pooled with Wales, Zambia and Uganda for preliminary matches that will determine which qualification rounds they move into. Top two teams from each division will form a top eight and bid for semi-final spots.

The Pearls seem to have initially avoided the powerhouse nations. Reigning champion Australia and the Silver Ferns are in pool A, England and Jamaica pool B and traditionally strong South Africa are in pool C.

Fiji ranked 10^th in the last world cup, four years ago and Costello looked forward to seeing how far the Pearls could progress this time.

Costello said the Pearls had a good blend of height in defence, goals and the mid-court. The squad will not train together much. Costello will continue primarily training on an individual program in Ballarat in between working shifts at The Forge Pizzeria.

She said the support from Ballarat netballers and the extended community had been fantastic and hoped to do the region proud.

Fiji will open its world cup bid against Wales at Netball Central on August 7 before stepping out against Uganda in Allphones Arena to open day two action.