Merimbula's Reese Finn-Young takes gold at 2022 Nationals

Now five years later, aged 15, Reese has just taken out the gold medal as the U18 Australian Singles champion after a nail-biting game at Broadbeach, on the Gold Coast on September 30.

It follows games against Queensland in August 2022.

"I feel like it's only just sinking in but I'm definitely going to remember this," Reese said on Tuesday after returning to Merimbula where she plays and trains regularly at Club Sapphire.

Reese played two games to reach the final, seeing off the current number one rated girl in the country from South Australia, Kate Argent-Bowden.

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However she admitted to some nerves heading into the final and knowing that the match would be live-streamed. She was up against Victorian, Amity Bickley, 16, who had previously won the title aged 12.

"I was trying not to think about too much and just concentrate on the game," Reese said.

After Reese got up 9-6, Amity then went ahead 12-10, NSW junior coach and junior development officer at Club Sapphire Michael Wilks said.

"Reese played really strongly with some weighted shots," Michael said. These are shots where the bowl moves the competitor's bowl to take prime position.

"I played a couple that worked in my favour and I was pretty happy with that," Reese said.

"She was precise under pressure and played brilliantly and took her score to 19-14 and Reese won the last two ends," Michael said of the two-hour match.

Reese said it can be very much a mind game, particularly when you are playing singles. Keeping focus and concentration throughout matches has been something Michael and Reese have talked about and during the match she was able to touch base with the NSW coaches, including Michael, to help maintain that focus.

At Merimbula, Reese also has two training partners and mentors, Emma Pettit, who has played for NSW and Christine McGarrity who trialled for NSW.

Looking ahead, Michael said the end goals have to be the Commonwealth Games and the World Games, "but we have lots of smaller goals along the way".

The Lumen Christi student also picked up a bronze medal for the U18 Triples played with NSW team members Katie Astley and Chanel Chakouch which coupled with her gold medal U18 Singles title helped lift NSW into the silver medcal position overall.

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