Netball Victoria has partnered with Monterey Secondary College, the Frankston District Netball Association (FDNA) and St Kilda Football Club to establish a new netball program, which forms as part of the school’s Silvertop Sport Science Academy.
The Silvertop Sport Science Academy is an initiative by Monterey Secondary College, Frankston North that develops students’ sporting ability while supporting their academic pursuits, by giving them access to elite-level coaches, players, programs, and facilities. The program runs simultaneously with the school’s normal curriculum but adds a focus on pursuing sports related pathways within VCE, VCAL and post-secondary education.
The new partnership will support the program at the college to help young netballers move into the Netball Victoria pathway, with the goal to support and develop these young stars through to the elite level of competition. It will also assist the students and budding athletes to stay engaged at school and find enjoyment in their studies.
Gabrielle Dwyer has taken on the role of coach, to help support students excel at the academy and further build on their future sporting careers, with a specific emphasis on reaching the elite level of netball through existing pathways.
“I teach the students key netball skills with the aim to get them into a competition and working through the Netball Victoria pathway,” Dwyer said.
Gabrielle is part of the Victorian pathway herself, which allows her unique position to further enrich the Monterey students’ experience within the program. She explained the experience will help give young netballers a head start through high performance pathways and help to guide them through the rigors of elite competition.
“This program will improve netballers’ lives as they are able to participate in weekly training that improves their skills and helps them get a head start in the Netball Victoria pathway.
“They will learn about what is endured of an elite athlete every day and the challenges that come from that environment. This will ultimately assist them throughout their own netball careers and lives.
“As netballers participating in this training at school, alongside their existing competitive teams outside of it, they’ll increase both their netball and social skillset and their love for the game will only get stronger.”
The partnership was established late in 2020 and the program commenced in February of 2021. State-of-the-art facilities have also been built as part of the Frankston North Education Plan, a $26.2 million investment into educational facilities in Frankston North which further improves the delivery of the netball program at Monterey through world class facilities.
While the program has a strong netball focus, it also teaches students about mental health, recovery, nutrition and overall wellbeing through the theory component of the curriculum.
The program is bolstered by existing Netball Victoria educational courses such as Expect Respect, the KNEE program as well as umpiring and coaching courses to give students a well-rounded sport-focused education experience.
Establishing partnerships with local members of the community like Monterey Secondary College and the FDNA solidifies Netball Victoria’s overarching goals of increasing netball participation in Victorian schools, and supporting young netballers through established pathways.
To find out more, visit the Silvertop Sports Science website.
