Diamond Creek premiership coach Brooke George has been announced as the head coach of the NFNL netball representative squads ahead of the Netball Victoria Association Championships in 2023.
The NFNL will be offering teams for under 15 and under 17 age groups, with an open side to be confirmed. These teams will take part in the one-day tournament next year which will be an integral part of the Netball Victoria pathway for players, coaches and officials.
George has an extensive coaching history, developing senior players to a high level through her time with Victorian Netball League clubs Ariels and North-East Blaze. She was also the Head Coach of representative teams at the Diamond Creek Netball Club, as well as Head Coach of the Diamond Valley College Netball Academy.
Just last month, she led the Creekers to an incredible 12th consecutive Section 1 winter netball premiership.
George is thrilled to be involved with the league’s representative program, saying she looks forward to playing a role in developing the skills of younger players.
“The opportunity that I’m really looking forward to is to work with the next generation of stars now that we’re introducing some of the younger age groups into the program,” she said.
“We’re seeing a number of athletes join our league that sit in that 15 and under and 17 and under bracket and I’m just really excited for them to get that next opportunity to develop their netball.”
For the last four years, George has been a Netball Victoria Talent Identification Scout, recognising the next generation of elite netballers. She believes the learnings out of her time as a scout can help benefit the players of the representative program.
“I’ve seen what level it takes to get identified by Netball Victoria and to be part of their talent academy, as well as the kind of skills and strategies that Netball Victoria are looking for, so we’ll certainly implement those in the program,” she said.
“It’s all about skill acquisition at that younger age group as well, making sure that they have the tools and that they’re able to go out and use them. So, the focus will not only be on that, but it will also be on performing to the team’s best.”
The prospect of some of the best players and coaches throughout the NFNL netball program joining forces excites George, saying it will be another learning curve in her own coaching development.
“I think it’s always a great challenge to meet new coaches and new athletes as well, so working with the NFNL means I’ll continue to grow and hopefully I can pass on some of my coaching knowledge to the others around me,” she said.
“It’s still really important that you learn from everyone and see what’s happening down at different clubs, so it’s about not only working with the players but also working with the clubs and coaches to build a really strong program.”
George played a huge role in Diamond Creek’s Section 1 premiership last month, leading her side to win all three finals after finishing in third spot, to win a 12th consecutive NFNL flag.
It’s a culture she wants to bring towards the representative program in 2023.
“That winning feeling and that culture of having a great environment is something that we want those players to build and is something that we look forward to bringing to the next generation,” she said.
“Obviously it’s not all about winning, we want the players to grow and develop and also gain the opportunities to join that next part of the pathway through Netball Victoria and all the way through.”
While the dates of the tournament are yet to be confirmed, the league will work with George over the coming months to finalise her playing and coaching groups.
