IT has been a huge year for West Coast Fever’s Olivia Wilkinson, with a long held dream finally becoming a reality in the earning of her first full Suncorp Super Netball contract and moving across the other side of the country.

Wilkinson said being signed by the Fever was really a “spur of the moment” decision.

“I think I was probably one of the last ones to come into the shooting circle, so it was mainly from my performance at ANC and then it was super abrupt. Probably two weeks after ANC, I got the phone call from Dan (Ryan, head coach) saying he’d like to have a chat, which I thought honestly was going to be for a training partner, but ended up being for the squad, so that was super surreal and I’m super happy to be at Fever now.”

The 20-year-old Wilkinson has come a long way from her days as young shooter in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, who worked her way through Victoria’s netball pathway to become a Collingwood training partner and then onto a full contract with the Fever this season. She did initially start her career as a defender, before swapping into shooting in under 11s and never looking back.

She said that moving across the country at such a young age was “crazy”.

“I have said to my parents, Dan and all the coaching staff that this has been my dream since I was a little girl, so anything it takes I was willing to do and I think it’s crazy,” Wilkinson said.

“Having such a supportive family as well really helps with this whole process and obviously having such supportive staff, the girls are amazing like on my transition over so it’s actually been super easy and Fever’s just embraced me like a family so it just feels great.”

She has come into a Fever side with a star-studded shooting group, joining Jamaican internationals Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard and Shanice Beckford.

“I never thought that I’d get to be shooting with the likes of a Jhaniele Fowler. That is just still surreal for me, and I’m getting feedback from both her and Shanice who have played at such a high level for so long.

“I think as a young player, I’m literally just like a sponge and just like want to learn so much from all of the girls because they all have so much experience in different places. I’m actually starstruck … because they’re amazing and so lovely too.”

The weather is also adding to Wilkinson “loving life” in Perth, on and off the court.

“The weather’s amazing, I’m a huge beach goer, all the girls can vouch for that,” she said. “So life in Perth has just been so chill, and all the girls have literally embraced me like family so it’s been super easy.

“I have always said that if my family were to move to Perth, I could call it a forever home, it’s been really, really good, and being a full-time contracted athlete has been such a dream.”

Despite ticking off what is a huge milestone in any young netballer’s career, Wilkinson’s career dreams are not all achieved just yet.

“I think my ultimate career goal would obviously to have a long career in netball, but also one of my big things is to be a Diamond one day. I think that’s been my dream since I was a little girl too.

“I feel like I’ve checked off the SSN goal, but now I think the next step, whether it’s in the near future or very, very long away, I’d love to step out and play for my country. I think that’s my biggest goal.”