But the multi-talented athlete enjoys the differences her two homes provide.

Pekin-Schlicht, 20, spent two years in America, studying forensic science at St Thomas Aquinas College.

Now, as the world navigates the coronavirus pandemic, she's helping her mum Kate Schlicht on their Weerite property, 20 kilometres from Camperdown.

In the US Pekin-Schlicht is an emerging track and field athlete. In Australia she's promising netballer.

She has options at her disposal too. Returning to New York in September - when the new school year starts - is on the cards. But an opportunity to be part of Super Netball club Collingwood's academy has also emerged.

Pekin-Schlicht, who re-joined Hampden league club Camperdown in 2021 for the first time since under 13s, said she had a lot to consider.

"I really do want to finish my undergraduate but I guess if something big came from (the Collingwood opportunity) I would most likely stay," she said.

Pekin-Schlicht - the daughter of former AFL player Tim Pekin, who played 219 matches for Fitzroy and St Kilda, said the Collingwood academy selection was "unexpected but great".

It came after a coach at her Victorian Netball League club Geelong Falcons recommended her.

"I was very quite surprised I got into the academy. I am not thinking that far (Super Netball) down the track," she told The Standard. "It would take me quite a number of years to get to that level."

Pekin-Schlicht spent her high school years in Geelong and moved to America in 2019.

"I really enjoyed New York. I was a bit concerned, thinking 'I don't know how I will go, living on a farm to New York City'," she said.

"My university is not fully in the city, it's 20 minutes out. It's definitely not country but it's not big buildings."

"My mum came over for Christmas and a lot of the time we just got some lunch and sat in Central Park and you just feel like you're in a movie half the time."

Pekin-Schlicht came home twice in 2020. The second time was in December when she quarantined in Sydney.

She said the US's approach to the pandemic was in stark contrast to Australia's.

"It was a lot. I actually came back in the middle of last year when it first kind of started and Victoria was in really hard lockdown," she recalled.

"Then I went back in August and it was weirdly normal over there which was quite confronting because they had so many more cases and death.

"It was weirdly normal, everyone was still out and about and doing things.

"I think when (Joe) Biden came in (as president) it changed a bit.

"It was interesting to be in and be a part of. Victoria had a few hundred cases and was in a full, hard lockdown and New York had thousands and thousands and it was just like 'put some masks on'."

Pekin-Schlicht, who is studying online with end-of-year exams on the horizon, is playing goal defence for Camperdown's open-grade side and coaching its 17 and under team while she weighs up her long-term future.

"I like to think I can play centre sometimes," she joked.

"Everyone is extremely welcoming. I was talking to mum once I came back and said 'while I'm back I kind of want to play for Camperdown' and she was like 'oh yeah, you can talk to them'.

"Brooke (Richardson) the coach was really inviting. She was very excited to hear I wanted to play which was really kind of her."

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