Dear Netball Family,
As this extraordinary year draws to a close, I want to thank each of you for the efforts you’ve made to keep our wonderful sport healthy, vibrant and sustainable.
I also want to acknowledge the fact that with families across the nation suffering unprecedented stress and disruption, netball’s purpose of empowering girls and women to shine while enriching and connecting communities has never been more important.
Time seemed to move by different rules in 2020, and it’s hard to believe that we began the year by pouring our energies into the bushfire crisis, unaware that the world was on the precipice of a global pandemic.
However, this year of extreme disruption and difficulty was also one of great opportunity. Amid the adversity of 2020 came significant achievement, showcasing our resilience and capacity to adapt and innovate during such extraordinary times.
With community sport largely on hold, the Origin Diamonds’ program postponed, development pathway events cancelled and the elite Suncorp Super Netball competition relocated and reimagined in a Queensland hub, it was essential to find different and creative ways to deliver and engage.
As we look at where we are, where we are headed and where we want to be for our 100th birthday celebrations in 2027, what has been the most challenging period in our proud history is poised to become a catalyst for lasting change at all levels.
Through the ground-breaking State of the Game Independent Review led by former national captain Liz Ellis, the largest research project the sport has ever undertaken, we asked questions of ourselves and others and over 10,000 respondents across more than 60 cohorts replied.
And we have not just heard but truly listened to our diverse Netball Nation, as we commit to implementing the report’s eight core recommendations and work co-operatively with internal stakeholders who have demonstrated their desire to do so in a crucial next step to reimagining the game’s future.
The Covid-19 pandemic did not come with a strategic playbook, however. As international competition took its regular January pause at the start of the new four-year cycle, few could have imagined that the bushfire benefit match between the Diamonds and an SSN All Star team in Sydney on March 1 would be the only 2020 outing for the famous gold dress.
Within 22 days of the successful fundraiser that farewelled long-serving head coach Lisa Alexander, the focus had switched from a desire to help those affected by the catastrophic blazes and Queensland’s summer floods to increasingly urgent warning signs that the fast-spreading coronavirus would leave no sport untouched.
Despite the complexities of the federated structure and complications involved with navigating eight sets of government rules, it was essential amid the chaos to make considered moves swiftly. The Team Girls Cup in Sydney and national age championships in Hobart were the earliest casualties. The Deakin University Australian Netball League was next.
Aside from the health and well-being priorities, all decisions were based around the need to protect the Netball in Australia system and ensure its survival into 2021 and beyond. As case numbers rose, and borders closed, non-essential personnel and services were cut and salaries reduced for the skeleton staff that remained, even as working hours increased.
To ensure the health of our Member Organisations, Netball Australia issued COVID grants to each of the States and Territories - a $2.5 million injection into the netball economy to assist them to deal with the impact of COVID19 on their grassroots bases.
On March 23, the shopfront window that is Suncorp Super Netball was delayed from its original May 2 start date, but its delivery was prioritised, given its commercial importance and the trickle-down benefits of major broadcast and sponsor partnerships to the broader netball community. Along with the desire to protect existing assets came another need in this time of crisis: to be open to opportunity.
As part of a major digital pivot, a deal was struck with online provider NetFit to help fill the competition void and support families during lockdown. Almost 100,000 children signed up for a free two-week virtual clinic during the April school holidays that was extended until the end of July with the backing of corporate partners Suncorp, Origin, HCF and Woolworths.
For our youngest participants, the launch of Suncorp NetSetGO Playground, scheduled for 2021, was accelerated to support parents and coaches to deliver the sessions in a remote location.
The fate of Suncorp Super Netball was far more complex. Among the myriad options - including format, timing, length and location - cancellation was unthinkable, given the strong but silent determination that the country’s leading women’s sport would remain visible in this time of crisis for so many.
It would ultimately be the first domestic women’s league to return to our screens, but it would take many months of negotiation before the first whistle on August 1. Often, no sooner had a crisis management meeting devised a new plan than the situation would change; a border would close, or a new obstacle emerge.
After initial concerns, a hub was required, and, with the generous assistance of the Queensland government that effectively saved the season, an affordable financial option supported by the clubs, players and officials was found.
We received incredible support and co-operation from our broadcast and commercial partners on a journey that we believe ultimately strengthened these relationships. We also have immense pride in what was achieved on and off the court: the professionalism of the athletes and officials who sacrificed so much, and from the staff who worked such long hours to deliver the product.
Remarkably, all 60 games were played via a rolling, condensed fixture, with viewership up across all platforms and increases in every metric except - for obvious reasons - match attendance figures.
The season culminated with an exceptional Grand Final at Nissan Arena in which the Melbourne Vixens defeated the West Coast Fever 66-64. A joyful send-off for two great servants in Caitlin Thwaites and Tegan Philip was an emotional day for so many, given the immense effort it had taken just to get there.
Another changing of the guard came despite the world No.1 Origin Australian Diamonds not playing an official Test match in 2020, with Stacey Marinkovich appointed from an outstanding field to become the program’s 15th head coach. Stacey brings a people-first approach to the role, reflecting the evolving nature of elite netball and the need to cater for the whole athlete. An enlightening recruitment process challenged us to think beyond the existing norms and our own unconscious biases in determining what qualities we sought.
We acknowledge Lisa Alexander’s achievements during her 102-Test tenure, as well as the respectful nature of her departure after more than eight years of service. What was a difficult decision not to renew her contract provided the chance for us to test the market and reset our direction for the international cycle that concludes in 2023.
Despite resources being stretched so thinly throughout 2020, we remained intent on winning hosting rights for the 2027 Netball World Cup. After an extended deadline due to Covid-19, we emerged as the sole bidder - our innovative bid document and presentation acknowledged as outstanding, and the commitment from the NSW Government crucial to its viability. The pinnacle event will be the centrepiece of Netball Australia’s centenary commemoration and we eagerly await a final determination from the International Netball Federation.
Five new Directors joined the NA board, bringing new skills and perspectives to the sport and their impact is already apparent.
But as we welcomed new members to our organisation, we also said goodbye to others, including our CEO Marne Fechner, deputy CEO Nadine Cohen and SSN CEO Chris Symington.
Each of these people played a crucial role in ensuring that netball not only survived, but innovated and led in the most challenging of circumstances. And while each made a critical contribution to our 2020 efforts, I want to acknowledge the remarkable job they’ve done across their netball careers.
The departures of these colleagues has allowed us to welcome the experience, energy and positivity of our interim CEO Ron Steiner as well as providing the opportunity for our talented team to step-up and take on more responsibility – something I’ve already observed.
While the pandemic was clearly our greatest challenge, we confronted other issues which tested our capabilities and processes. The yet-to-be resolved court action of a former Director, the Total Player Payment breaches of the West Coast Fever, the important debate around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes and officials in our system, even the introduction of the SSN two-point shot, have forced us to reflect and review.
But while each of these issues is unique, I’ve been proud of the fact that our response to them has remained true to values and standards that we demand of ourselves and each other.
Change and challenge is inevitable, but it also allows us to introduce new ideas and energy. And the blueprint for reform comes from the State of the Game Review findings, which will help to inform the way forward.
As we look ahead, another priority is to be more insight-led in order to retain the vast participation base - and the core 12-17 age group in particular. While there are no precedents to suggest how a pandemic impacts drop-out rates in sport, we know the benefits netball provides, and are committed to providing a smooth pathway back while further reinforcing our long-held status as the nation’s No.1 sport for women and girls.
So much work has already been done to provide clarity about where netball is headed and how to get there. The Covid-19 crisis highlighted the flaws in the sport’s framework and the need for change to ensure a thriving future. Its financial impact has forced a reset and a restructure and whilst that has led to a reduction in headcount and the need to do more with less, it has also taken us to the precipice of a new and exciting place.
There is great strength within our federated structure, and with a renewed commitment to work together arising from the State of the Game Review, we are confident our full potential is yet to be reached.
On behalf of the Board of Netball Australia, I wish all members of our extraordinary Netball Family, and their families in turn, a very enjoyable, relaxing, and of course safe Christmas and holiday period. Thank you for your support and passion throughout the year – netball is what it is, and is able to deliver what it does, because of you. Thank you.
