Netball Victoria has today announced a new program in the Victorian netball pathway set to pilot in the coming months.
The Netball Victoria Elevate Program will provide emerging athletes with the delivery of holistic skill development, strength and conditioning and court work sessions within a controlled daily training environment, operated at the State Netball Centre in Parkville.
Exposure to this daily training environment will support improved physical preparation in the leadup to State Team and Victorian Netball League (VNL) trials for 2024. The program has been developed to support long-term success for Victorian teams at the National Netball Championships, and to align with the restructured VNL competition from 2024.
The program will be delivered as a pilot in the second half of 2023 with a view to long-term implementation from the following year, in alignment with the State Team program and restructured VNL competition, and may expand in future to include competition experiences.
This year sessions will run across a 6-month training phase between July and December, for identified talented athletes aged between 15-18 years.
Athletes will be selected by a panel based on 2023 performance (participation in State Teams/squads or underpinning programs or competitions) and must be age eligible for 2024 State Team selection. Two squads of up to 20 athletes will be selected across 17/Under and 19/Under eligibility.
While largely focused on emerging athletes, the program will also integrate coaches and umpires in support of growth and development across the pathway. Umpire coaches and mentors will be integrated into the program to assist in the individual development of emerging talented umpires.
The program will be managed and directed by a Head Coach and will involve specialist coaches, a dedicated strength and conditioning coach and other contracted staff where required. Netball Victoria is currently working through the recruitment process for relevant program staffing positions
Changes to the VNL competition structure in 2024, a realignment of State Titles in March, and the review into pathway programs currently underway have opened the opportunity to implement the pilot program.
“We’re excited to launch the Elevate Program as part of our holistic approach to State Team and VNL preparations for 2024 and beyond,” said General Manager Vixens, Performance & Pathways Megan Simpson.
“We recognise that this pilot program will be delivered in line with a very busy 2023 calendar. However, it enables better preparation for 2024 performance as we move through the process of realigning the purpose, structure and timing of existing Netball Victoria pathway programs.”
“The new program is designed to support long-term success for our emerging athletes, coaches and umpires, and to build on our state’s culture of excellence at every step of the pathway.”
Find out more
