Hunter Sports High School student Rachel Lane
CUTS in Hunter Sports High School's sports program has not deterred year 12 student Rachel Lane from fulfilling her potential.
The 17 year old made the switch from the selective sport school's talented softball program to baseball in year 8, following a decision from the International Olympic Committee.
Softball was dropped from the Olympic program after the 2008 Beijing Games, which resulted in a domino of funding cuts to the sport across Australia.
Rachel continued playing club-level and rep softball while playing baseball inside the school's sport talent program.
It paid off in the end though, with Rachel being selected in the NSW Combined High School's softball team for the NSW All Schools Softball Championships, to be held this week.
Rachel said playing the two sports allowed her to develop her skills, learning the nuances in ball shape, bats and pitching.
"They are very similar in a lot of the skills they use. But the biggest difference is the pitch," she said.
Rachel said it took her a while to master baseball's overarm pitch and preferred to play in the outfielder position.
She first took up softball when she was eight years old, after being encouraged by her father Alan.
Rachel has played softball for the Central Coast, Hawkesbury and Orange and currently plays for Hornsby.