Millie hoping to make her mark on the international stage

The 19-year-old student has been picked for the senior women’s England team for the Global Challenge Cup, in Croatia.

It will be the first time the team have played together since the London 2012 Olympics.

And Stamp, who will be joined in the squad by Tendring team-mate Jessica Lane, believes they can shine against the cream of European volleyball.

"I'm really excited to be taking part in this event," she said.

"We're taking a really strong team and it's definitely one of our better opportunities to do well and stand out on the international stage.

"Considering the lack of funding the senior team have received in recent years, any chance is a good chance.

"It's the first competition I'll have competed in with the senior squad, although I have 22 junior caps from previous years and a highlight was competing in the European Championships in Sweden, in 2014.

"I feel like the squad we took really managed to challenge the other teams in our group."

Colchester-based Stamp, who plays in the Libero position, has been playing volleyball for nine or ten years but only joined Tendring when she moved to Essex University in September 2014.

She says she is looking forward to sharing the Croatian adventure - rubbing shoulders with international players and Olympians - with club-mate Lane.

"Going there with Jess will be great," she said.

"It's really nice having a familiar face on the team and it's a great opportunity for us to both represent Tendring and give a really good account of the club and our local area.

"I only joined Tendring when I came to university but the support I've received from the team and club makes it feel like much longer."

Stamp, who moved to north Essex from Manchester, is hoping to play professionally after finishing her psychology degree at Essex.

If that opportunity does not materialise, she would like to play for a European university team while completing a Masters degree.

England’s senior men’s and women’s teams were forced to disband due to a funding cut, after the London Olympics.

They still ran junior and cadet teams but this is the first time the senior women’s team have played together again.

The Global Challenge Cup gets under way in Croatia on July 11.