BENDIGO'S soccer star on the rise, Maika Ruyter-Hooley, has been identified as a future Australian under-20 representative.
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The big wraps on Ruyter-Hooley come after she represented the Victorian under-18 team at last month's National Youth Championships, which is the country's annual talent identification competition.
Victoria finished seventh out of eight teams in the under-18 division, which was won by New South Wales Metro.
The 17-year-old, who is in Year 11 at Bendigo Senior Secondary College, was one of three Victorians identified as a potential Young Matildas' player, with the other two being Amy Jackson from Altona Meadows and Meghan Archer from Balwyn.
Following her identification, Ruyter-Hooley will now attend a Young Matildas' camp held by coach Tom Sermani later this month.
Ruyter-Hooley has been a member of the National Training Centre since 2002, which is an elite training program for promising soccer players.
NTC coach Harry Chalkitis said the fact Victoria had three players selected for the camp was good news for soccer in the state.
"We have never had any players selected for the camp as a result of their performance in the National Youth Championships, and the fact we got three players identified (this year) speaks for itself," Chalkitis said.
'‘The girls will now have to work hard to ensure they take the next step and keep improving."Ruyter-Hooley, who is a sweeper, is a key player for the Bendigo Waterstore Vipers in the state's Women's Premier League competition.
The club is in its first year in the elite competition, and while the finals are now out of reach, the Vipers have performed admirably in their inaugural season.
The Vipers will play fellow country rival Ballarat at the La Trobe University Athletics Complex from 2.30 pm on Saturday.
The Vipers are seventh on the ladder with two rounds remaining.
