"This last summer was a little different because I was repairing my shoulder which took months of strengthening and gym work to be able to play comfortably again."
She said the selection - at this tournament she dislocated her jaw - came on the back of a great season with coaches Alan Lints - who has been a major part of her growth as a player and "hardening me up" - and Meredith McInnes' dedication.
Nicola also attributes the team's success to 2012 Olympian and assistant coach Alana Millington.
"Last year, I spent most of my off-season training with the girls who made the squad to support them and also to improve myself, which was hard at times because you're doing all this hard work alongside them but know that they have made it and you haven't.
"The off-season before last, we also trained with some of the Black Sticks up here before their Olympic campaign started so all-year-round training isn't a new thing but I realise now it was all that extra training and experience that made me the player I am now and therefore my selection."
The Northland under-18 team is managed by Nicola's mother, Annwyn Carter-Kelly, who thinks her daughter's determination to be a high-performance hockey player is outstanding.
"She gets up early in the morning and goes to practice on her own and comes home with blisters on her hands. She is always working at how to improve her skills. Her whole focus in life has been to achieve a position in the New Zealand Women's Black Sticks.
"I cannot even begin to find words to explain how proud I am of her."
This self-discipline put her in a hard position over whether to accept an invitation to her school ball from long-time boyfriend Lloyd Patrick last week - the ball coming on the day the team went to Hamilton to start the tournament.
"I couldn't decide for a long time if I should go but I eventually decided to stay but was in bed by 10.30pm and went down to Hamilton the next morning at 7am."
The girls will continue training with Millington and Northland Hockey high performance manager Bevan Gibbs with the hope of making the next cut for the final team selection.
"After the team was named and called out on to the turf we met our new coach, Sean Dancer, and he made it clear the easy part was being selected and the hard work had only just begun.
"I am excited about the training to come. I thrive on hard work and there is nothing I want more than to put that black jersey on and I'll do anything for it."
Also named in the men's under-18 squad was Northland's Harry Lamb.
NZ women's under-18 squad:
Isla Bint, Eryn Crombie, Frances Davies, Stephanie Dickins, Jackie Eden, Freya Hawes, Megan Hull, Ella Hyatt Brown, Alia Jacques, Brooke Johnson, Tessa Jopp, Bridget Kiddle, Su Arn Kwek, Tyler Lench, Nicky McDonnell, Maddie McLean, Kirsty Nation, Siobhan Nuzum, Arnica Palmer, Jess Porteous, Deanna Ritchie, Brooke Roberts, Amy Robinson, Catherine Tinning, Ariana Tugaga, Casey Mae Waddell, Sarah Walcott, Tayla White, Lara Williams, Hannah Williamson, Ginny Wilson, Lilliana Wiles.
NZ men's under-18 squad:
Aidan Sarikaya, Alec Wilson, Alex Hanham, Bradley Reid, Cameron Gibbons, Cameron Stobie, Dane Vicker, Daniel Guthrie, David Brydon, Dominic Newman, Dylan Thomas, Ethan Martin, Etienne de Haan, Hamish McGeorge, Harry Lamb, Jack Gilbert, Jack Waddell, Johnny Thorn, Jonty Keaney, Joseph Robertson, Joshua Smith, Kalyan Jeram, Leo Mita-Wells, Mackenzie Wilcox, Ollie Logan, Richmond Lum, Ruan Bezuidenhout, Sam Jimmieson, Sam Lane, Thomas Mallon.
