PENSHURST product, Jess Rentsch has added another accolade to her growing resume after she was selected in the Victoria Country squad for the upcoming 2023 Under-18 Girls National Championships.

Rentsch has been a strong performer for the Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels this season and has led the side well as the co-captain both on and off the field.

Rentsch was also selected in the AFLW Academy earlier in the year, which involved the opportunity to train in an elite environment and play against the Under-23 All Stars team.

She has now been selected in the 32-player squad for the national championships and having played the Under-16 National Championships in 2021, she knows what to expect.

“I was pretty happy and its kind of a relief, I felt really scared, nervous and excited all at once … I’m super excited to play with this group,” Rentsch told The Spectator.

“I’m so proud of everyone who made it from the Rebels … it’s so surreal playing at AFLW grounds interstate and something that most people won’t get to do so I can’t wait.

“I think being at the high elite level of Vic Country in the past, (as well as) the AFLW Academy and the standard and expectation that has come with that has prepared me well.”

The Ballarat Grammar student said with a lot of expectation and pressure involved with making squads like this, it was important to remember why she plays the game.

“I play footy because I love it and want to have fun and I just want it take it one step at a time and bring it back to basics,” Rentsch said.

“My goals (for the championships) are just to have fun and play a good standard of footy that I’m happy with.”

After breaking her leg last year, the 17-year-old has bounced back incredibly and hopes to continue her solid form to bring her aggressive style of play to the big stage.

“I want to bring my speed back and incorporate that into my game, and aggression to hit the ball hard … that’s the way I like to play,” Rentsch said.

“We are there to showcase our talent … we got picked off our performances of what we’ve been doing, so keep doing that as a team.

“Hopefully we can get a couple wins, especially against Vic Metro, there is always a nice rivalry there.”

Rebels’ girls head coach, Sally Riley said she was “stoked” to have her co-captain and six Rebels girls in total selected for the championships.

“She (Rentsch) has played a lot off half-back and through the midfield, her best position is running off half-back,” Riley told The Spectator.

“Her strengths are her intensity at the footy, she’s a strong tackler and explodes out of the contest and into space to use the ball well.”

Vic Country will have its first training at Essendon this weekend, before the side travels north for its first match against Queensland at Brighton Homes Arena on Sunday July 30.

The side will then take on rivals, Vic Metro on Saturday August 12 before travelling to Western Australia to play at Pentanet Stadium on Saturday August 19.