Youngster missing basketball outlet during year 12

Bartlett, who won the Mermaids' most valuable player award in the 2019 Big V women's championship, wants to study medicine in Melbourne next year.

"I'm just really focused on school this year and basketball is in the background at the moment," she said.

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The Terang College year 12 student said she had wanted to be a doctor for some time.

"I think the continual learning as a doctor, to always be learning about new things is something that really stands out to me," she said.

The teenager explained she had undertaken two work experience placements, one in year 10 and another in year 11.

The first was in Warrnambool and the second at Austin Health in Melbourne.

Bartlett said the Mermaids were preparing for their first Big V game of the season when the COVID-19 pandemic got in the way.

She was feeling fit after a strong Country Basketball League summer. The Mermaids finished runner-up.

The young gun was also looking forward to having the season as an outlet from her final year of high school.

She feels it would have helped her be more productive.

"In ways it has been (easier to study without basketball) but in other ways you're probably less productive when know you've got that bit more time," she said.

"Definitely, I was going to continue playing during year 12 just to have that outlet and catch up with friends."

But Bartlett hasn't let basketball's absence stop her from maintaining her skills and fitness.

The 18-year-old, who has been raised on a beef farm at Garvoc, has trying to keep active every day.

She's been skipping, running on nearby roads and the basketball hoop in the shed has been getting great use.

She also helps her family with drenching cattle.

Bartlett has be playing representative basketball for Warrnambool since under 12s and played her first season with the Mermaids as a 15-year-old.

She's wants to keep playing the sport in the future.

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