How did NIAS play a part in your sporting journey?

My journey started as a rural kid from North Star playing Saturday netball and swimming in our backyard pool. I’ve since had the great privilege of playing for the QBE Swifts Academy at the Australian National Championships and winning a premiership for NSU in the NSW Opens Premier league. The road between has been long with a lot of pot holes and beautiful destinations on the way. NIAS was definitely an integral pathway to my current successes.

I was in the NIAS swimming program for four years starting as a ten year old before moving to the Netball program for three years. NIAS showed me sport is more than what you put out on court or in the pool, it’s about building the person you want to be and the commitments made off the court that truly make the difference. NIAS introduced me to all the high performance behaviours including nutrition, psychology, recovery, finance and leadership.

What has been a sporting highlight?

This year competing at the Australian National Championships was the single most amazing experience, competing at the next level and doing so with my family and friends watching. It didn’t come without its highs and character building moments. In fact it came with 8 years of taking every opportunity offered, and cherishing and committing to every moment within. From NIAS’s coaching and encouragement I made my first NSW state development team. This lead to a series of stepping stones from state development, state teams and the NSW Institute of Sport to Waratahs training partner, Swifts Academy training partner, and then finally Swifts Academy member.

What impact has NIAS had for you – on and off the field.

Over the years NIAS showed me the power of unity within a team.

NIAS showed me that any diverse bunch of females from across the regions can come together, highlight each others strengths, uplift each other and achieve anything. I have met so many strong female role models along the way. Including professionals like Libby Trickett and Sharni Layton I admired from our box telly to my current teammates that inspire me daily. I made such beautiful and lifelong friendships with people all across the New England and north west.

NIAS also showed me there is always a team behind the team too, and its these people that make the sport special. I wouldn’t be anywhere without the teams behind the teams and volunteers along the way. The continued support from NIAS has reminded me where I came from, my journey and that my dreams are built on such a solid foundation that NIAS helped me build.