CORLETTE schoolgirl Maebel Colley enters 2026 with a busy sporting calendar and itching for more honours on the touch football field.
After receiving a long list of sporting accolades at representative level last year, the gifted 13-year-old athlete is fit and refreshed and ready to mix it with the State’s best young prospects.
In recognition of her stellar achievements in representative sport and community involvement, the talented all rounder was presented with a Tomaree High Excellence in Sport Year 8 Class Champion Award at the school’s end-of-year Awards ceremony.
“It was a great way to finish a memorable year personally and also celebrate the achievements of my school colleagues,” an elated Maebel told News Of The Area.
Maebel, an outstanding middle with vision, speed and sharp footwork, gained selection in the NSW Touch Under 14s Girls Merit Team in 2025 – 12 months after being named in the Under 12s Merit squad.
It was a proud honour for the Tomaree High School student, who was a key figure in the Hunter outfit that won last year’s NSW Combined High Schools Under 15 Girls Touch Football Championship at Salamander Bay.
A Hunter Western Hornets touch football representative for the past three seasons, Maebel was also a part of the powerful Hunter School Sports 4 x 100m Relay team crowned Hunter and Zone regional champions in both 2024 and 2025.
Competing in an age group above, she helped Hunter collect back-to-back bronze medals at the NSW Combined High Schools Athletics Championships – joining forces with talented Tomaree High sprinters Anna Taylor-Anderson, Mia McDonald and Fern Cullimore.
Maebel also shone on the netball court while representing Nelson Bay at the State Junior Netball titles in Sydney.
The mercurial maiden lined up for Nelson Bay Neptunes in the Wallsend Junior Rep Touch Football Gala Day last weekend in preparation for next month’s Junior State Cup Northern Conference championships in Dubbo.
She is a player to watch for the Neptunes when they compete at the upcoming Peter Wilson Memorial Cup Touch Football championships at Tomaree Sports Complex.
By Chris KARAS
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