Latest news with #AustralianDiamonds
West Australian
26-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Eaton Netball Association focus on inclusivity with funding boost
Almost a year on after an $8000 funding boost, the Eaton Netball Association has opened inclusive programs in a bid grown its participant base and open the sport up to new players. The association was the recipient of a Woolworths Netball Grant last year, focusing the funds on boosting participation by reducing fees, while encouraging healthy, active lifestyles. The reduced fees helped players in both their NetSetGo and development programs for the 2025 season to relieve families of the financial burden and encourage new participants The association also introduced a new social competition to encourage participation from both male and female players who might not have played traditional netball due to the costs or time commitments. This competition received new bibs to reduce uniform costs. New equipment also came the way of the NetSetGo program including bibs, bean bags, cones and hula hoops while the development program players enjoyed new fitness equipment, team bags, coaching equipment and a larger gazebo for carnivals. The grants are open again, with netball clubs and associations across Australia having the chance to win a portion of $100,000 in grants to promote healthier eating habits and increased physical activity among young players. There is also a $20,000 people's choice award allocated to the club or association with the most votes. Former Australian Diamonds player and Woolworths NetSetGo ambassador Catherine Cox said the grants held a special place in her heart as not only a player, but also a parent. 'Coaching my young daughter's local netball team, I've seen firsthand how sport brings kids together, builds confidence, and nurtures a true sense of belonging,' she said. 'It's about more than just the game, it's about giving children the chance to grow, thrive, and fall in love with an active, healthy lifestyle. 'By supporting initiatives like this, they are (Woolworths) also helping kids all over the country discover the lifelong benefits of teamwork, movement, and nourishing their bodies with good food.' Clubs and associations can apply online at the Woolworths Netball Grants website before August 29.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Silver Fern Amelia Walmsley Available For NZU21 And Silver Ferns Selection
Rising Silver Ferns shooter Amelia Walmsley has confirmed her availability for selection for both the NZU21 team for the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 (NWYC2025) in Gibraltar and the Silver Ferns for the Constellation Cup Series against the Australian Diamonds later this year. The NWYC2025 is the pinnacle event for emerging netballers under the age of 21 and will be held at the Tercentenary Sports Hall and Europa Sports Park in Gibraltar 19th – 28th September. Meanwhile, the Constellation Cup – a four-Test series between netball's fiercest rivals – will begin in Australia 17 October before concluding on home soil in Aotearoa New Zealand, 29 October. Walmsley, who made her Silver Ferns debut in September 2023 against England and has six Test caps to her name, said the decision to make herself available for both campaigns was not taken lightly. 'This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one I feel truly privileged to be in a position to make,' said Walmsley. 'I'm grateful to Dame Noeline and Julie for their support, and to the players who openly shared their Netball World Youth Cup experiences, both those who took part and those who didn't. Their insights were valuable in helping me make a decision. 'With a carefully tailored schedule from the Silver Ferns high performance team, I'm confident I can fully commit to both NZU21 and Silver Ferns campaigns should the opportunity arise. 'Making myself available for NZU21 selection came from a desire to experience a Netball World Youth Cup environment and the unique opportunity to represent my age group one final time. I see this as a chance to expand my leadership, challenge myself, and gain exposure to 20 different international styles. It's an opportunity that will help me develop as a person, player, and teammate in any environment. It is also one that prepares me for potential future involvement in World Cups or the Commonwealth Games. 'Equally important to me is the opportunity to return to the Silver Ferns space after the tournament, if selected. Wearing the black dress is something I never take for granted, and I believe that what I could gain in the NZU21 environment would only strengthen what I can offer in the Silver Ferns environment. 'If I get the opportunity to come back and play in the Constellation Cup series, it will give me the chance to continue to grow and learn, further establish myself in this space, and continue to strive towards selection for future campaigns like the Netball World Cup and Commonwealth Games. 'Ultimately, this decision allows me to gain the best of both worlds. A space to grow and compete on the youth international stage, and the opportunity to carry that growth forward to serve the black dress.' Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua commended Walmsley for her maturity in working through the decision and reiterated her support for players gaining meaningful experiences across both programmes. 'We fully support Amelia's decision to make herself available for both teams and have worked closely with her to ensure she has a sustainable plan in place,' said Dame Noeline. 'What she could gain from the Netball World Youth Cup is invaluable – the leadership opportunity, international exposure, and personal growth all contribute to her continued development in our Silver Ferns environment. 'We're proud of the way she's approached this decision and the thought she's put into what's best for her growth as both a player and a person. There are no guarantees around selection for either team, but her intent and commitment speak volumes.' NZU21 head coach Julie Seymour echoed Dame Noeline's sentiments and praised the alignment between the high-performance programmes. 'Having Amelia make herself available for selection is a real positive for the NZU21 group, and it reflects the strength of the collaboration between our high-performance environments,' Seymour said. 'We've worked closely with the Silver Ferns management team to ensure that any player who may be eligible and interested in the Netball World Youth Cup has the right support. Amelia's availability is a credit to that process. If selected, she would bring invaluable experience to the group and gain just as much in return.' The Constellation Cup will begin with two Tests in Australia before returning to New Zealand for the final two matches: Game 1: Diamonds v Silver Ferns – Friday 17 October, John Cain Arena, Melbourne Game 2: Diamonds v Silver Ferns – Wednesday 22 October, Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Game 3: Silver Ferns v Diamonds – Sunday 26 October, GLOBOX Arena, Hamilton Game 4: Silver Ferns v Diamonds – Wednesday 29 October, Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch Amelia Walmsley Silver Fern #184 Positions: GS, GA Date of Birth: 31 January 2004 Height: 192cm Test Caps: 6 Debut: 27 September 2023 v England Roses
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Donnell Wallam: From country netball to Australian Diamond in four years
New Mystics shooter Donnell Wallam. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ Donnell Wallam's rapid rise up the netball ranks must be one of the quickest in the history of the sport. To say the Australian shooter was a late bloomer to netball is an understatement. Wallam , 31, is now playing for the Mystics in New Zealand's ANZ Premiership. In 2022, she got her Australian Diamonds debut at the age of 28. Four years before that no one had heard of Donnell Wallam because she wasn't even playing state league netball. Wallam grew up in rural Western Australia, in a town called Harvey, 140 kilometres south of Perth. She had minimal access to sporting development pathways and gravitated towards basketball. "My Dad played footy, Mum played basketball and growing up with lots of cousins you'd always play some sort of sports together and I guess that's probably where my love of sport came from," Wallam said. "I played netball at school and played social netball for my little home town against the other country towns. But when I was young I was in basketball pathways so I was kind of locked into that path." She went on to play in the Western Australia state basketball league. Wallam got to a stage in her 20s where she had had enough of basketball and picked up social netball again. Then she started travelling to a nearby town to play more competitively. Crucially it was there that she was coached by Daniel Cools, who played in the Western Australia men's state team and later the Australian men's team. After one season Cools encouraged her to try out for the West Australian Netball League (WANL) and put her in touch with a team. "He said 'you've got nothing to lose' and I was a bit nervous at first but went to the trials and played two years for the West Coast Warriors and loved my time there." Wallam, who by now was living and working in Perth, picked up the 2019 league MVP award in her first year in the WANL and then again in 2020. Wallam was selected in a WA All-Stars team to take on the West Coast Fever in a pre-season game in 2020 where she came up against the Australian goal keeper Courtney Bruce. Playing in front of a crowd of over 4000 people, Wallam took the court part way through the first quarter and finished with 49 goals and was a real handful for Bruce. "It was pretty crazy and I guess for me seeing my performance against Courtney Bruce who is one of the best defenders in the world, to see that I could match it with her gave me a lot of confidence and made me want to go further because I was like 'if I can match it with Courtney Bruce, what else can I do?' So playing in that game was really fun and I guess eye opening for me." The West Coast Fever then turned around and signed Wallam as a training partner, following her standout performance. In 2021 Wallam went right outside her comfort zone when she took up her first full contract for the Leeds Rhinos in the UK Netball Superleague. "It was my first time overseas so it was scary but really exciting ...it was really good to be exposed to a high performance environment and just learn what's expected at that level and I really enjoyed my time in England." Wallam then earned her first contract in the Australian league when she was signed by the Queensland Firebirds for the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) season. In 2022 she was named SSN Rookie of the Year and in October that year got her Diamonds debut. It was an extraordinary rise up the ranks. Donnell Wallam in her debut for Australia. Photo: Bradley Kanaris When did Wallam start thinking she might good enough to make the Diamonds? "I guess it wasn't until I got into the environment, I remember making the team but then not sure how I was going to go and then it's not until you get into the environment and you start to relax a little bit that you know your capabilities so I guess it was not until I was in there. "It is crazy to think what I've achieved in the few years that I've been playing, but for me it's just enjoying the journey." Wallam, who likes to follow the WNBA, brings a bit of basketball flavour to the netball court. "Sometimes the court opens up for me to do a lay-up in the circle and it's a bit of fun I enjoy it but for me the main thing is just getting the goal in the post," she laughs. Does Wallam wish she had gone down the netball path earlier? "I sometimes do wish I got into competitive netball a bit earlier but I am also a firm believer that every happens for a reason so this is the path I'm on and I'm just trying to enjoy it." Perhaps Wallam's success in netball has been in part due to her later start. "When I started playing competitively I was a bit more mature, knew my body better and what I really wanted to get out of the sport I guess, and I really enjoyed playing it competitively and then I just loved the game and wanted to go further. Then I had the opportunity to go over to England for my first contract and I've just gone from there. I guess once you're older you have a new outlook in life." It's a little surprising that Wallam has only played five tests for Australia since her 2022 debut. Wallam just missed out on selection for the Diamonds squad for the 2023 Netball World Cup, but was one of three travelling reserves. She's competing for one of the four shooting spots in the national team with Kiera Austin, Cara Koenen, Sophie Garbin, and Sophie Dwyer. Last year, Wallam shot more long-range super shots than any other goal shooter in the SSN. She had the second highest tally for total goals in 2023 and 2024, just behind the most prolific shooter in the world - Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard. It came as a shock to fans in Australia when the Queensland Firebirds let go of her after three seasons, instead signing 2.01m Ugandan shooter Mary Cholhok. It underlines how cut-throat the Australian competition has become. With its unlimited imports policy, just two out of the eight teams in the SSN have Australian players in the starting goal shooter position in 2025. Wallam is still eligible for the Diamonds despite playing in the New Zealand league. She's enjoying her time at the Mystics and leads the goal scoring after two rounds of the ANZ Premiership. "For me I'm not really focussed on getting to the end point or anything like that, it's just enjoying every moment because I have come into the sport so late so I just don't know when I'm going to be finished with netball or when something else will come up so for me it's just enjoying it."
