Netball Victoria is delighted to announce Jane Searle as an inductee to the Netball Victoria Hall of Fame for 2020.
Netball Victoria’s Hall of Fame was instituted in 1997 by the Board of Directors, in order to provide an avenue for recognition of those people who have given exemplary service to the sport of netball.
A Victorian through and through, Searle was not only an elite netballer for more than a decade – featuring heavily in both state and national teams – but continued on after her playing career as a highly successful coach; a role she still relishes today.
After first cutting her teeth as a ruthless defender on court with the Heathmont Netball Club, Searle experienced her first of many successes in the sport of netball, when she was selected to her first state team – the Victorian 16/U team – in 1977.
This selection marked the opening of the floodgates; from here on in Searle was selected in a further eight Victorian open teams, including being named as Vice Captain in 1985 and Captain in 1986.
1982 saw Searle make her Australian debut, and the following year she was selected again for Australia’s triumphant 1983 Netball World Championship campaign in Singapore. Searle went on to notch up 25 appearances in the green and gold, becoming renowned as a teammate that her peers could depend on to shut down her opponent and keep a level head under pressure.
In 1986 Searle was named Vice Captain of the Australian team, but unfortunately had to withdraw from the team due to her induction into the Victorian Police Academy, where she went on to become Dux of her Squad and the inaugural winner of the Angela Taylor Award.
Following a successful career on court, Searle began her coaching career as Head Coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport in 1996, and took over the role at the Melbourne Kestrels in the Commonwealth Bank trophy in 2004, leading them to finals in each of her four seasons in charge.
During this period of time, Searle was also the Head Coach of the Victorian open state team from 1997 through to 2001, highlighted by when they reached the pinnacle of being crowned National Champions in 2000.
In 2001 Searle led South Africa in a three-nation series against Australia and New Zealand, and then from 2003 to 2006, joined the ranks as an Assistant Coach to the Australian Diamonds, under Head Coach – and fellow Victorian – Normal Plummer.
Searle went on to coach West Coast Fever in the ANZ Championship for three seasons from 2009, and then returned to the Australian ranks as coach of the Australian FAST5 Flyers in 2013 and 2014. Searle coached the team at the FAST5 Netball World Series in Auckland, leading the team to silver medals in both years, which is still their highest finishing position to date.
Searle then joined the Adelaide Thunderbirds as an Assistant Coach for the first two years of the Suncorp Super Netball league – 2018 and 2019 – a period during which she was also the Head Coach of the Brunei national netball team; the Royal Bees, a position that she still holds today.
Seale said it was truly an honour to be inducted into Netball Victoria’s Hall of Fame.
“It’s been a privilege to be a part of the sport I love in different capacities and [at different] levels for many decades now,” Searle said, “and I still get a great sense of satisfaction seeing athletes progress and teams come together to achieve success.”
“As someone who has preferred to shun the limelight and instead focus on allowing the athletes to shine, this induction makes me feel valued as a coach and grateful to have worked with so many wonderful people in the sport.”
Having had such a decorated career with so many varying aspects to it, Seale said it’s difficult to narrow it down to a single highlight thus far, but there have been a few.
“When I look back, there’s certainly been some memorable moments and matches that bring a smile [to my face] to this day, matches we worked so hard for and snatched the win or earned the win with great play, when all things came together at just the right time,” Searle recalled. “I think I’ve always been a champion of the underdog, so the [Wilson Storage Southern] Saints [VNL] Grand Final win over the [then] Hume Falcons in 2014 was such a magnificent culmination of coming from the bottom of the ladder to victory.
“I [also] loved being part of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and coaching the mighty Melbourne Kestrels with all those champion youngsters to some nice wins,” Searle continued. “But I think the thing that most stands out - aside from the lifelong friendships I’ve made along the way - is seeing what having faith in your athletes allows them to achieve, and watching them go about achieving that. Instilling the desire to excel and then being part of that journey, wherever it may take you.”
Searle’s induction into the Hall of Fame – after already being named a ‘Legend of the Game’ by Netball Victoria in 2007 – was officially announced at Netball Victoria’s 2020 Annual General Meeting, which was conducted remotely on Sunday 26 April.
