Sienna Pepperell strides assuredly towards the future

In the not too distant future, the Oxley High year 9 student hopes to be a PE teacher - a job that would enable her to combine two of her loves: sport and helping people.

She regards as among her greatest achievements being an Oxley High Sports Council representative the past two years, while losing loved ones is her greatest fear.

And at Coffs Harbour this week, one of Tamworth's best and brightest will line up for the Northern Rangers under-14 girls' side at the oztag junior nationals.

Sienna was speaking at Northern Rangers training at Riverside. She was vocal as the players were put through their paces. It was the voice of someone who is comfortable leading.

A classmate described her as a vibrant presence and, thus, popular among her peers.

However, Sienna said socialising and her friendships had been her biggest challenge in life.

"That's definitely been what I've struggled with the most," she said.

"But, at the end of the day, I've learnt to focus on yourself, and let people come and go as they please.

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"You can't please everyone. So just focus on yourself. Just keep civil with everybody. Keep your friend group small."

Full-on. Patient. Considerate. Sienna chose those words to describe herself - and did so quickly.

The teen also quickly chose the super power she would most like to have. It would be something that allowed her to be "really good at helping people", as she put it.

"Either being really strong or [being] really good at helping people emotionally," she said.

Given that response, it is unsurprising that Sienna wants to be a PE teacher.

"I really do think that being a PE teacher is very much down my alley," she said, adding: "Within the generations to come, hopefully we can become more active.

"And, hopefully, more of us wanna become athletes and aim nice and high."

What's also unsurprising is the fact that Sienna is her own harshest critic. The high achiever said she sometimes got "very disappointed" with how she handled certain situations.

"Like, when it comes to sport, things like missing tags that make a difference in the game," she said.

In keeping with her love of life, Sienna is most happy when engaged in what she described as "lots of full-on activities", such has going to amusement parks, going go-karting and heading to the dam.

And clearly, her family means the world to her. "I always tend to worry quite a bit about my family and what I would do if I lost anyone," she said.

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