Cleary you see, plays European handball, a fast-paced sport that combines the skills of a number of sports including football and basketball. And it's not just a weekend hobby for the 19-year-old, with the former Mt Carmel student recently representing Australia at the under 19s Oceania IHF Trophy in Wellington, New Zealand.

Cleary played right back for the 'Green and Gold' during the tournament, which started on December 8.

Unfortunately, the Australian ladies were edged by hosts NZ 11-7 in the final, after going through the pool stage undefeated.

Despite missing out on the gold medal, Cleary said she had a blast.

"That [NZ] team have been together since the last Oceania tournament, they've been in development for a while, so we did really well," she told the Tribune.

"It was brilliant, it was a really good experience...We were all staying at the Victoria University campus and on each floor there was different country so we all got to know each other and we became really good friends with American Samoa, learnt all their dances and stuff it was a lot of fun."

It has been a steep ascent for Cleary, who only fell into the sport as a 17-year-old.

"[I took up the sport] two years ago actually, I was going to Canberra Girls Grammar School and just as a guest for PE we had a European handball coach come in and he was secretly scouting people for the ACT club. So me and two of my other friends went along for a session and just fell in love with it really, I've been playing ever since.

"Our first game was in the National Championships, and at that stage we we were still learning the rules. I mean before that the only handball I knew of was with a tennis ball," she laughed. 

Cleary hopes to one day represent her country at the Olympics but is only looking as far ahead as next year, which could include an under 21s Asian tour and an Anzac Day clash with New Zealand in Canberra.