Evan Morrison to compete for NSW at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships

And now the 13-year-old Tamworthian is set to make his NSW debut when he represents the state at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships, which start in Adelaide next Friday.

The year 8 Tamworth High student will contest the 400m, with the laudable achievement coming some 18 months after his motivation for running was rebooted.

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The gifted teen has rekindled his love for athletics under renowned coach Jay Stone.

Casey Morrison said her son was close to quitting athletics.

"He'd sort of had enough and didn't want to do it any more," she said.

"And we made him do Little Athletics again. We said, 'Do this season and see how you go.'"

Casey added: "He started training with Jay Stone and hasn't looked back from there. He's really enjoyed it."

Her son had "improved heaps" under Stone, she said, adding: "We could see his potential, but he couldn't.

"And I guess he just needed the right coach to take him the rest of the way."

Now Evan "enjoys going to training", Casey said. "You don't have to drag him down there."

She continued: "It's hard, especially when you do see their potential and they wanna give it up. You've gotta kind of push them a little bit and hope for the best."

Evan qualified for the nationals after placing third in the 400m at the state all-schools championships at Homebush in Sydney this year, setting a person best of 56.68sec in the final.

He said he was "pretty nervous" about competing at the nationals. "But quite pumped at the same time, really," he added.

"It will be an awesome experience."

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