After making six Wide Bay representative teams and three Queensland school sports teams, you wouldn’t think there was much left to achieve, but Layla Collins said she was dreaming big.
At just 12 years of age, Shalom College student Layla has achieved outstanding sporting results across not just one, but multiple sports.
Layla represented Wide Bay school teams in AFL, Aquathlon, Football, Netball, Touch, Rugby League, while representing Queensland school sport teams for AFL, Football and Rugby League.
Layla said she had a couple of highlights from the past year, although the main one was being awarded the Tayla Harris Player of the Championships award.
“My sporting highlight of last year was definitely being awarded the Tayla Harris Player of the Championships and making the QLD Merit team in AFL,” she said.
“Although, making three Queensland teams is also pretty cool.”
In 2022, Layla said she would cut down the number of sports she was playing and focus on the ones she enjoyed most, having already been invited to train with the Queensland Academy of Sport in late January for football.
“In 2022 I am cutting back on the amount of sport I play, and I will be only doing the ones I enjoy the most as last year was crazy,” she said.
“I’m looking at playing AFL on the Sunshine Coast, and I’ve been invited to train with the QAS later this month for football.”
Layla said she loved playing team sports as the friendship and competition that came with it made for all the fun.
“I love the thrill of competition and working as a team to achieve goals, which is why I tend to be involved in team sports rather than individual sports,” she said.
“I love participating in all sports and particularly enjoy the friendships and competition.”
Layla shared her secret to sporting success while providing advice for other young athletes who were looking to chase their sporting dreams.
“My secret to achieving fantastic sporting goals is competitiveness, believing in myself and listening to coaches who teach me skills and help me constantly improve,” she said.
“What I would say to other young people to encourage them to achieve their sporting goals is believe in yourself and don’t let anyone hold you back or put you down.
“Give other sports a go too, as this allows you to develop your skills in other areas and takes the pressure off your main sport.”
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