By Ben Baker

Brooke Tafazolli is hoping a summer trip to Italy brings much more than just sun, sea and sand her way with the Sutton water polo player hell-bent on strutting her stuff on the world stage.

With the domestic season long since finished, Tafazolli has had plenty of time to admire her success with London Otter Water Polo Club – the leading women’s team in the capital and south of England.

The 17-year-old played her part as Otter finished second in Division One of the British League, third in the British Championships and went abroad to the European ladies competition for the first time.

But Tafazolli does have hopes of getting back into the swing of things this summer with Great Britain’s junior U20 squad set to travel to Greece for the World Championships.

A big part of whether she does or not will come in Italy next month as Great Britain play in a four-day tournament, and Tafazolli is not going to leave anything to chance.

“The big aim for me has always been the World Championships with the U20s and that is what I have been training towards,” said Tafazolli, who attends Nonsuch High School.

“It has been hard though because the season finished a long time ago so I have just had to put the work in with training while going to school too.

“But there is a four-day tournament happening in Italy in July and the team for Greece will be chosen from that.

“We won’t know the team for the World Championships probably until the week before so I just have to work hard in Italy and hopefully force my way in.

“I have no idea if I will be selected for the worlds or not but fingers crossed I can make the team because it would be the biggest thing I have ever done because I am still only 17.”

Whether she is handed a plane ticket to Greece or not, Tafazolli is in for a bright future with the Britain’s senior women’s water polo team seeing its funding increased.

Britain fielded a women’s team at an Olympics for the first time ever at London 2012 and Tafazolli is determined to make the most of new opportunities that have been afforded to her.

“The Olympics was brilliant for the sport because now there is a lot more funding and that means we will improve and grow,” she added.

“Before there wasn’t really any funding for my age group but now there is and that helps us travel and compete more.”

Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, has supported 1,000 of Britain’s most talented developing athletes. As part of Lloyds TSB’s commitment to helping future sports stars prosper, the programme will continue in 2013. Follow future stars at facebook.com/lloydstsblocalheroes