IT’S not been a bad few months for Rebecca Baker.

Not only is the business she started after leaving university continuing to grow, she has also made it into the senior Wales netball squad.

News of Baker’s selection came just a few weeks before her 21st birthday last weekend, a perfect opportunity to celebrate stepping up from the under-21s.

Baker, who plays her club netball for Risca, is one of a dozen fresh faces in the senior set-up following an open trial in Cardiff which attracted more than 30 hopefuls.

The Cross Keys ace will now be joining the likes of Pontypool’s Leila Thomas, a member of Team Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Australia this April.

On the court, the next Commonwealths in Birmingham are now Baker’s main aim, while off it she is looking to establish her fledgling cleaning company.

Reflecting on her inclusion in the senior squad, she said: “It’s scary, I think I’m still in shock.

“I didn’t really want to go to the trial, I was a bit nervous, but I’m really happy I did.

“We had to do fitness tests in the first half of the session and then we played two games.

“I told my mum that if I made it past lunchtime I’d be happy.

“While we were playing the games they would call out your number if you hadn’t made it.

“So you would find out if you had been cut in front of everyone – it was quite brutal.

“I’m still with the under-21s until October when we’ve got a Netball Europe tournament in Belfast.

“I start training with the seniors in September and I’m part of the squad for at least the next year.”

Baker left Bath University last year after beginning a degree in sports performance.

Having decided student life was no longer for her, the goal attack/wing attack decided to go it alone in the business world.

“I didn’t really enjoy university so I finished and started my own cleaning business,” she added.

“I always liked the idea of having my own business.

“I’m a bit OCD and like cleaning so I just thought I’d do that, and I’m enjoying it.

“The company has only been going for four months and I’ve got 13 or 14 clients.”

It seems that netball runs in the Baker family, with mum Lavinia and some other relatives playing for Risca in the past.

As well as that, her mum used to umpire and has been Wales Under-21 team manager and went to the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.