GREYTOWN'S Emily Morison has made the New Zealand under-17 football squad, with a World Cup slot now in her sights.
Morison, 16, is among six Wellington region players selected to attend the U17 training camp in July.
Her mother, Trish Morison, said her daughter was "very excited" to achieve selection, on what had been "a very long road".
Morison has been playing football since she was five, and been attending the National Talent Centre in Wellington since 11.
"That was the pathway, the whole aim of that, was to make the squad."
The squad will attend the U17 Women's World Cup in October 2016 in Jordan.
Mrs Morison says her daughter, who plays in the Central League for Upper Hutt, trains five to six times a week, plus plays for the National League team in Wellington, and college games at Kuranui College.
She has also taken part in a talent acceleration programme for a year.
The dedication to the sport often means a five-hour round trip to Wellington, up to six times a week during the season.
"When you get to the next level, you make a commitment. You get to the point where you say, you can't turn back now."
Morison is working on getting her driver's licence, but has only passed her learners.
"It is expensive, but I just console myself with the fact she could have been a kayaker or some expensive sport.
"At least with football, it's only boots."
Morison has a supporter in FreshChoice Greytown co-owner Chris Ward, who has offered to assist with the costs of getting her and a support person to Jordan.
"FreshChoice is a solid supporter of Wairarapa football in the broader sense," he said.
"When we heard Emily was in the running for the New Zealand team, and there was some fairly substantial costs, I made a commitment that if she was selected, we would fund the cost."
He understands several expenses will be met by football organisers, but a shortfall was likely.
"If there's a shortfall, in getting Emily there, a support person there, we will step in and handle that gap. That's the commitment we made."
The camp, which will be overseen by U17s coach Gareth Turnbull, takes place at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland from July 5-10.