Moree Secondary College students Chloe Flegerbein and Lauren Appleby recently competed for North West in the NSW Combined High Schools (CHS) secondary girls tennis championships in Inverell.
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Held from September 17 to 19, the MSC duo, along with seven other players in the North West team, took on some of the state's best tennis players.
It was Flegerbein's (year 11) second time at the competition, after making it to this level a year ago, while it was the first time for Appleby (year seven).
It was a rocky start for Flegerbein, as she ran into some trouble on her way to the trials in Tamworth.
"You have to try out. You have to play against others but I didn't make it because we hit a kangaroo, but I still got in," she said.
Despite missing the trials, she was good enough to be selected as third seed in the team.
Up against eight other teams from across the state, each player competes in a singles and doubles match against the corresponding seeds from the opposition.
Flegerbein said she was a little nervous heading into the competition but took some confidence from her experience in 2018.
"It was probably a bit easier because I kind of knew people there," she said.
"It's levelled out because you play against people at a similar level."
Despite being up against some "pretty tough competition", she was happy with how she performed.
"I won some, lost some," Flegerbein said.
"I know I won doubles, no singles. The girls were really good, but the games, it was like 3-6, so it wasn't a massive score, just a bit unlucky I guess."
"I think I've improved a little bit because last year I was playing in eighth seed. The tougher the competition the better I play I think."
Despite being in year seven, Appleby performed quite well, winning a few of her games.
Flegerbein has been playing tennis since she was in kindergarten, and has recently got back into it after taking a bit of a break.
"I just kind of got a bit sick of it, but I wanted to play sport again," she said.
"I train once a week but I do a bit of coaching as well."
Flegerbein says her goal is to make it back to the state competition next year.
