Naomi and Emma both interviewed in front of a selection panel made up of Netball Victoria’s Netball Development team with a crossover of high performance and participation.
From the selectors’ point of view, their work in the all abilities space teamed with Naomi’s teaching experience and Emma’s high-performance knowledge is the perfect fit to develop and assist the team in their Marie Little OAM Shield campaign.
Naomi, a high school teacher at Avila College and All Abilities Coordinator at St Leonards Netball Club, is honoured to have been selected again to lead the Victorian side alongside Emma, Community Engagement Coordinator at Casey Netball, after the team finished in third place in 2018.
“I applied last year because I wanted to build my coaching skills in the all abilities space and give back to the community, so to have the opportunity again is an honour,” said Linossier.
“It’s great being able to work with Emma again with her knowledge of netball and the high-performance pathway. What she brings to the team is really important for their confidence and development.”
Naomi speaks highly of the Marie Little OAM Shield, which allows women with an intellectual disability a chance to prove themselves on a national stage.
“These players are really capable, and they can do some pretty great things in terms of their netball.
“There’s this underlying tone of sportsmanship and effort; being able to represent their state means a lot to the players and their parents and to play a part in that is very special.
“Events and programs like this are really important because they build a community and competition and it becomes the ‘norm’. Having a state program or a national level competition is huge because it really creates a pathway for these players and an opportunity to go to the next level.
“Netball is a great sport because so many players can be on the court, everyone has their roles and you can’t win or play a netball match without everyone doing their job. It is a really inclusive sport.”
