DETERMINED and hard-working are two words Wallsend netballer Emma Dumbrill's family and friends would use to describe her.
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The 27-year-old has been playing netball since she was nine.
Dumbrill started at Warners Bay Netball Club, where she was thrown into the under-13s division.
"My mum always says that's where I learnt to jump so well," Dumbrill said.
Dumbrill progressed through the club's age divisions until she reached the under-21s, and then played in A grade.
In 2009, Dumbrill and a few of her teammates left to start an independent team, the Waratah Rugby Proteas, sponsored by Waratah Rugby Union Football Club.
Dumbrill said while she enjoyed managing the team, she found she was still looking to further her netball career.
Four years later, it was the desire to compete in the 2HD Championships that saw Dumbrill selected for Souths Netball Club's open representative team.
Despite a number of players carrying injuries, including Dumbrill with an injured ankle, the team made it to the semi-finals in the 2013 season and finished third overall.
The team are two games into the new season and have won both.
However, netball is a year-round affair for Dumbrill, who also plays indoor netball with Charlestown Indoor Sports' Super League ladies and mixed teams.
In March, Dumbrill was selected for the NSW Indoor Netball open side. She will travel to Brisbane to compete in July.