BENDIGO'S Chloe Watson will fly out to South Africa on Thursday as part of the inaugural Netball Australia Centre of Excellence program.
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Watson will be one of 10 athletes headed to Johannesburg and then Potchefstroom to take part in a two-week tour.
The 20-year-old defender has been a part of the Australian 21-and-under squad, which recently toured New Zealand with the Diamonds team.
Centre of Excellence coach Michelle den Dekker said the South African tour was a chance for the elite players to experience playing netball in a different country.
“Netball is played in vastly different ways around the globe," she said.
"To retain our number one status in the world we are constantly looking to provide our future elite players with opportunities to play internationally in environments that challenge them.
"We are looking for athletes that can adapt and perform under any conditions."
The five-game series will also feature two Fast5 matches between the Australian team and the Proteas.
As part of the tour Watson and the other netball young guns will take part in a UNICEF coaching clinic.
"To see the friendships that are developed through our involvement at these clinics is a privilege and extremely important to the future development and profile of netball in South Africa," den Dekker said.