Shelley Haynes

Facilities Development Manager, beginning in 2019.

• Each day is varied and that’s what makes the job so enjoyable.  I’ve learnt so much in the last 14 months and continue to do so every day!

• Most days are spent providing advice and feedback to Councils, Affiliates and the Education sector on netball facility designs to make sure they meet standards under the National and State Facility policies.  Also giving feedback on functionality of designs right through the concept to detailed plan stages.

• Other days are spent giving support to our affiliates through the whole facility development process, from advocating for funding, attending Council meetings, representation on project working groups, and providing advice on management and financial models.

• My new favourite saying is …. “we want to leave a legacy, not a liability.”

I started my working life in 1981 as a legal secretary, progressing to a Law Clerk working in the personal injury field. I then spent 15 years in this space before taking up a Sports Administration traineeship at the Frankston & District NA in 1996. 

After 12 months, the Business Manager left the role to work at Frankston Council and I took over the role in 1997, staying there for 18 years. In 2015, It was time for a change, so I applied for the CEO role at Netball NT and spent almost 4 years in Darwin before returning home to Melbourne last year. It was an incredibly rewarding experience that taught me so much.

I feel extremely lucky to be an administrator of the sport I love. I grew up playing netball in Bendigo from the age of 6 and it has taken me on so many journeys... as a player to Sydney and Darwin for National Championships and to NZ with the Vic Open team in 1986 (as a player) and again in 1991 as an apprentice coach, alongside the legendary Norma Plummer. I also had the fantastic opportunity to attend the 2006 Melbourne and 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games as a statistician.

Surprisingly, I also headed into the umpiring space, gaining my C Badge in 2002 and B badge in 2007. I fell into it by picking up a whistle at FDNA when an umpire didn’t turn up! The umpiring space continues to occupy my time outside of my work and now I mentor young umpires at both FDNA and Tooradin, places which gave me so much back in the day.

Having now spent 24 years working in this industry, I have found my purpose as a leader is to pass on the knowledge that I have gained over those years.  

When discussing facility projects with our affiliates, I ask them what would be their ultimate wish list with unlimited $$$.  Start at the top and aim high – stand up for what you believe in and fight for it.  And we will stand by you throughout the journey.

The facility space has had little impact on it so far.  Councils are still operating, projects are still going ahead, Affiliates are working away in the background on making sure their “houses are in order”. 

Zoom meetings have become the norm, but I do miss the face to face connections you have in this role.  Together we will get through this.