Five months on, Alice Arnott still beams when she reflects on making her Hockeyroos debut.
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The Scone native and Tamworth representative realised a long-held dream on May 18 when took the field against India in the opening match of their three-game series.
Stepping virtually off the plane from Europe straight into the Hockeyroos camp, she said, at the time it all felt like a bit of a "whirlwind".
"The last couple of months have been a little bit slower for me so I've had a bit of time to reflect," she said.
"It's definitely something that I'm very proud of and something that I will remember forever."
Joining Kim Small, Kate Jenner and Georgina Morgan as Tamworth players to have progressed all the way to the Hockeyroos, Arnott will now have a permanent place alongside them, with the Tamworth Hockey Association the proud owner of a framed photo of her in action.
Arranged by Hockey Australia, when they asked her where she wanted it sent, Tamworth was a pretty natural choice. She said she "could never say thankyou enough" to the hockey community for how much they have done for her over the years.
Not just in her hockey development but their support off the field.
She recalled how when she was boarding at Calrossy, Richard Willis would pick her up from school and take her to training every morning.
Little things like that, that without she possibly wouldn't be where she is now.
"I'm very grateful for everyone for what they've done and the part they've played in my journey," she said.
A journey that has seen her capped now three times for her country.
It has been a bit of a life-changing year for the 25-year-old.
Virtually straight after her Hockeyroos commitments finished up she moved over to Perth, where her boyfriend, Tom Craig, is based as part of the Kookaburras.
Playing the winter over there with the Suburban Lions, she helped them win their first-ever premiership, which was "very exciting".
Likening the "slower lifestyle" a lot to Tamworth, with the added perk of the beach, Arnott is loving it.
Where they are living is only about five minutes from the beach. Their morning ritual is to go for a run and then to the beach.
"It's been very good, we've been very lucky," she said.
She has also "reconnected" with another Tamworth expat.
Recently she has been doing a fair bit of training with Ehren Hazell.
"It's been quite fun because it reminds me of when we were kids growing up," Arnott said.
They trained a lot together in their junior days in Tamworth.
In recent times their training has been geared towards their respective Hockey One campaigns with Hazell joining the Tassie Tigers men's side this year while Arnott will again line up with the NSW Pride in the women's competition.
Chasing back-to-back titles, after having the bye the opening round, which was played on the weekend, they are due to begin their title defence against the Brisbane Blaze on Saturday October 14.
From the squad lists Arnott is expecting it to be a pretty tough competition but is confident about their chances.
"We've got lots of experience, lots of Hockeyroos and girls that have Hockeyroos caps that are just kind of coming up into the group," she said.
"So it's actually a really exciting time."
