PACE bowler Sara Kennedy says her cricket call-up to Ballarat Clarendon College boys' firsts is both "a big step in a way, but kinda not, too".
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The 14-year-old, who is in year nine, is believed to be the first female in Ballarat Associated Schools history - at least in College's sporting ranks - to make the cross into the marquee boys' cricket competition.
This week alone Sara will get a taste of the competition's best, with a chance to bowl against long-dominant rivals St Patrick's College.
Sara said so much had changed in cricket, particularly in opportunities for females, since she started in the game a few years ago. Her teammates have been awesome in support.
The boys were awesome...Everyone's been very inclusive.
- Sara Kennedy
"(The call-up) is pretty exciting and I wasn't expecting it - College has such a good senior team," Sara said. "The boys were awesome. I knew a lot of them through playing with Buninyong. Everyone's been very inclusive.
"It's a big step in a way, but kinda not, too...It's incredible to watch the boys in training and how they curve the ball. It's been such a good learning experience for me."
Sara was invited along to train with the senior boys' squad late last year, including an intensive training camp in Melbourne.
The school coaches knew Sara played cricket with Buninyong, was part of the Central Highlands talent pathway and made her women's firsts debut with Carlton in Victorian Premier Cricket earlier this summer.
College firsts co-coach Ryan Simmonds said the pace Sara was bowling in training demanded attention.
"We were obviously aware Sara is a really good athlete; quite a good sportswoman and a good footballer, too," Mr Simmonds said.
"...Some of the pace she was bowling was extremely impressive. From there she earnt her selection along with both her training and her commitment to improve."
This is not the first time College has created BAS history by shaking up top-level sporting tradition.
Year 12 Sarah Shepherd became the first female to cox the boys' first rowing crew in the 2007 BAS Head of the Lake, then held in Nagambie due to Lake Wendouree's drought conditions.
Mr Simmonds said there undoubtedly had been a great cultural shift in traditionally male-dominated sports nation-wide and it was really showing in school sports.
"I think with Sara there are quality opportunities and elite pathways now," he said.
"You look to Australian women's cricket and AFLW and how much they continue developing in general. This is something Sara's been growing up with.
"Sport's not as divided as it once was, and that's something girls and boys are learning. Sport is more ability-based now.
"...We're very impressed with Sara's efforts and to get her in the team, it's really exciting."
Sara, who hails from Skipton, first started seriously playing cricket with Mount Clear and filling in for under-16s when the team was short.
She enjoyed the game and just kept playing, taking each opportunity she could get.
This has included umpiring a bit of under-17s and under-14s cricket too.
Sara is proud to be considered a role model for other girls in Ballarat in the game.
"You have to have people you can look up to," she said.
"It's good to have females in cricket and football you can follow rather than look at male athletes and think, 'they're amazing, I wish I could do that'."
IN OTHER NEWS
Sara, a left-arm bowler who aims "to put in a bit of pace", looked forward to the chance to test her bowling against competition benchmark St Pats on Friday, day two in a two-day match, after not needing to bat last week.
For Sara, bowling to St Pats was not about taking on the boys. This was just about sharpening her attack for good cricketers.
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