Laura Taylor has returned home after a US College year that she will never forget

The Ballarat-basketball protégé has made a flying return home to see her family after a 10-month period which culminated with the highest of highs of being part of the NJCAA Women's Basketball National Championship with Northwest Florida State. Just a few months after arriving for her second year at the college, Taylor was diagnosed with COVID-19.

"It was just indescribable to explain it, it was like nothing I'd ever experienced," she said.

"You have so much going through your mind once you get it.

"I had chest pain, headaches and was dehydrated, I lost weight and was in bed the majority of the time.

"I was laid up for about two-and-a-half weeks, but it probably took me a month to get back to normal."

She said her experience had woken her up to the dangers of the illness and she understands the measures in place to protect the community.

Despite the year of new COVID-19 restrictions, her team was able to rally around each other to claim the first ever women's trophy for Northwest Florida State with a seven-point win over Trinity Valley Community College.

"I actually said to my family before I left that I wouldn't be coming home without a national championship" she said. "The difference to here is that you live with your teammates, they become your family on the court and and outside.

"We all lived in the same complex and we became incredibly close. Our main aim was to win the national championship. It was just amazing to see how the whole school came out and supported us and cheered us all when we came back."

But now new horizons await with Taylor confirming her transfer to Weber State University in Utah after graduation from Northwest Florida State College.

That move has allowed her to come home for a few weeks and she will be able to return to the United States in the coming weeks.

"I'm really excited about the challenge ahead and the opportunity to continue my basketball and studies in Division 1 at Weber State," she said.

"Weber have been asking about me for a while and there's already two Australian girls on that team.

"The year just gone is a no count-year, which basically means I'm a sophomore again, which for me has worked out really well, as I'll be now able to look at a masters or post-grad, I've still got three years left."

Travelling home, there was one last obstacle to overcome when her first flight from San Francisco to Australia was cancelled.

"If you're going to get stuck anywhere, I guess San Francisco isn't the worst place in the world," she said.

When she returned home and had to complete two weeks in quarantine in Sydney, she knew it was a small price to pay.

On her two-weeks quarantine, she said the first week dragged, mainly due to her getting used to time zones again, but the second week flew by.

She said she spent much of her time meeting her new teammates online, and keeping an eye on the fortunes of the Ballarat Rush.

"It was strange because I felt like I was halfway between the USA and Australia, I was so close to family, but couldn't see them," she said.

"But I've had a chance to get to know the team a bit and I was also able to watch how the Rush were going.

"I definitely inquired about seeing if I could play, but due to rules and regulations, I wasn't able to".

"I've not shot a basket at the new stadium yet, but I'll certainly be training with the girls and working on my program after restrictions, I'll be there every week cheering them on from the stands."

She said she hoped that at some point in her career she would be able to return home and play for the Rush.

Taylor said her long term goal would be to be drafted in the WNBA, but she knows how important it is to take things as they come.

"I'm glad I've gone through all these experiences as a 20-year-old, I've grown up a lot, I now know I can handle what life throws at me," she said.

"It's all just a stepping stone in the big picture of life"