SOFTBALL: A young Mackay player is hitting it out of the park as she embarks on the long journey to Canada to represent her native country. Softball is in the blood for Cassie Adlam, 16, having grown up watching her mum play for Otago, New Zealand, and following in her footsteps, playing teeball since before she can remember.

Now Cassie is stepping out of her mum's shadow to forge her own path as she has been selected to play in the NZ U17 Emerging Sox team to compete for the Canada Cup in Surrey, British Columbia in July.

The Mackay based player came to the attention of coaches through her performance at the International Friendship Series in Brisbane last year where she was a late call up for the New Zealand team catcher who was called to higher honours.

Cassie, who was 15 at the time, demonstrated skill and maturity beyond her years amongst a team largely two to three years older than herself. So impressive was her performance she was invited to attend the NZ Developing Sox training camp in New Zealand last October where she stood out to coaches with her athleticism, agility and willingness to learn.

Cassie will return to New Zealand in April for a training camp with the NZ Junior Whitesox Squad, a team that, if selected in the finalised line-up,will take her to the Junior World Championships in 2019.

Moving with the family from New Zealand to Nebo in 2011 and then to Mackay in 2012 the young catcher or shortstop's game has gone from strength to strength, playing for Hawks in the local league and representing Mackay in the U17 girls team at the Queensland State Championships in September last year.

An all-around athlete, Cassie has also represented Mackay in league and sevens football.

At the age most young people are starting to consider their futures, Cassie said softball takes priority in her life which "makes it hard to find work" with her training and travelling commitments and was putting all her eggs in one basket in the hopes of playing professionally.

A talented athlete she may be, but asked if she would ever represent Australia she said, "I'm definitely Kiwi, I'd never classify myself as Aussie."