There are few athletes with a determination as strong as Victorian All Abilities netballer Sarah Parker. The dynamic midcourter has overcome monumental personal challenges to earn her spot in Victoria’s championship-winning team that’s set to compete at the Marie Little Shield tournament in September.
At 36-years old, Sarah will be making her Victorian debut after a life-changing year off the court, where she overcame major health issues.
“What happened was I had a bit of a health scare, my heart rate was really high, and my cholesterol was quite high as well. And being someone who was overweight, as much as 175 kilos, I’ve almost lost 100 kilos within the year,” Sarah said.
“So that’s what made me think I need to sort this out, because I want to be here for my child as much as I can, and my husband too.”
She credits her amazing turnaround to eating a more balanced diet through meal plans, a mix of sports including netball and football, and finding daily exercise wherever she can find it.
“I go to the gym as much as I can, I have a really amazing personal trainer which he really got in my head. Because it wasn’t just a weight issue, it was what was going on in my head. It really flipped me over,” she said.
“I feel great, I feel I can do anything now and I’m more confident, I’m much happier and my family are happy.”
Sarah’s new lease on life has led to her selection into Victoria’s All Abilities team for the first time, where she’ll be wearing the centre bib – it was a goal she’d set herself in the last 12 months.
“I was a little bit shocked by that to be honest. My goal was just to try out, I wasn’t expecting to get in [to the team] until I was told through an email that I got in,” she explained.
“I was quite overweight, and that was just my goal – is just to try out, and when they told me I was in, that sort of blew me away.”
There’s a sense that the midcourter from Wandin North near Lilydale is playing for more than just herself, as her emotions overflowed when talking about her son.
“He’s 12, going on 13 and he’s on the spectrum as well and he’s just amazing,” she said.
While as a person with an intellectual disability, she’ll also be making a statement for herself.
“It never really bothered me to be honest. I am who I am and I’m proud to be who I am, and if it worries people then it’s their sort of problem,” Sarah said.
“I think people who have a disability have so much creativity in them and so much love to give because that’s all they want and that’s where I vibe to.”
Sarah’s championship-winning team will be led by head coach Naomi Linossier and her assistant Noel Halton again in 2024.
The 2024 Marie Little Shield will be open and free to the public from 6-8 September at Nissan Arena in Brisbane. You can cheer on our team at home, with all matches being streamed live via KommunityTV.
The Marie Little Shield is Netball Australia’s national championship for women with an intellectual disability. The competition was named after Marie Little OAM, a netballer who dedicated her life to those with an intellectual disability. In 2024, Victoria’s All Abilities team are heading to Brisbane to defend their title.
Find out more about the Marie Little Shield, including the 2024 fixture.
