A lifetime of experience in basketball has not made it any easier for Lucy Whale to watch her son play.
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On the contrary, the former Thunderbolt and mother of three joked she will "need a valium" next week when her youngest, Charlie, takes to the court for Country NSW.
The 15-year-old Farrer student is the picture of a typical teenage basketballer. Standing over six feet tall and lanky of build, he is a young man of few words but possesses a clear passion for the sport.
Despite bouts of COVID-19 and the flu in four weeks since he first found out he was selected, Charlie feels ready and relatively confident ahead of next week's Under 16 Australian Junior Championships in Perth.
With experience in the SEC NSW and the PSSA NSW teams in the past, Charlie believed he had a "pretty good chance" of being named after the three trials for NSW Country.
Now, he is "really excited" to see how he matches up against the best young players in the country.
In contrast with her son's calmness, Lucy will be watching on from the stands playing various scenarios through her head.
"Last week when we were watching Charlie in the metro clash last weekend ... my husband said 'You were pointing to no-one'," she explained, as though she were mentally running through plays.
"I get a little bit engrossed in the game. But look, I'm just super-proud of him getting to this level. Whatever happens next week, he just needs to relax and enjoy it."
Despite his mother's anxiety, Charlie is grateful for her presence and influence on his burgeoning career.
"She knows what goes on and what to do if something isn't going right," he said.
Due to his previous representative experience, Charlie has played either with or against most of his NSW Country teammates.
Given his knowledge of the side, the small forward believes the team can push some of their toughest opponents in Perth.
"I think we'll go pretty good," Charlie said.
"If we play well and play as a team, I think we'll be right up there."
The National Championships will run from Sunday, July 3 for exactly a week.
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