Netball Victoria has announced a new program in the Victorian netball pathway which is 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 lead-up to State Team and Victorian Netball League (VNL) trials for 2024, with the program 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 six-month training phase between July and December for identified talented athletes aged between 15 and 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 Netball Victoria Elevate 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 Netball Victoria Elevate 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 of pathway programs currently underway have opened the opportunity to implement the pilot program.
Vixens general manager performance and pathways Megan Simpson said they are excited to launch the Elevate Program as part of a holistic approach to State Team and VNL preparations for 2024 and beyond.
“We recognise that this pilot program will be delivered in line with a very busy 2023 calendar,” Simpson said.
“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.”
