Sophie Dwyer – Eastwood Ryde Netball Association
A quickfire questionnaire about how Sophie started her netball career and traced her path from local netball courts to the grand stage of Centre Court as a GIANTS Netball player.
- How old were you when you first started playing netball?
Seven, I played for Saint Kevin's Primary school for two years and then I moved to West Ride Rovers at ERNA.
- Did you play any other sports at the time when you started?
Netball was always kind of my thing. I played water polo for school but that was because I was good at swimming and I could throw a ball from netballs. But other than that, because I kind of was tall. netball's always, always been my top pick.
- Do you remember what position you started in?
I was a wing attack. I didn't really like Centre didn't like defending. So it was pretty much just being attack. I trialled my first rep team as literally a special wing attack, and didn't even put a second position down because I didn't like anything else. One time when I was 11 my coach just threw me into goal attack and then I've never really gone back.
- Were you always an A grader?
No, I was not in div one or a grade A until under 12s when I made our first rep teams and I moved up to div one. I was Dev three before that pretty much every year prior to that
- Do you have a favourite moment playing at ERNA?
Yep, we won the under 12s Division three. I thought it was absolutely unreal.
- What age did you realise that netball could be a career?
I always had the dream and I think I always idolised that. But probably when I was 18, when I played in ANL which was the feeder comp to SSN. It was a bit of a breakout year for me, I was starting every week we made the Grand Final where I was MVP the Grand Final. I think that was a bit of like okay. I'm really shining in this second grade. So I felt like if I had that chance I was like I feel like I can actually do this.
- Do you, did you have any pre or post game rituals going up?
It was more like I just had a particular shooting routine that I always like to get myself ready for a game with. It was usually with my dad as well. He would always be like my ball boy and throw the ball back when I was playing for East Ryde Rovers. Other than that I feel like I'm probably always the first person at trainings doing my formations.
- Do you ever head back to ERNA?
It's only still five minutes from my house, so I do a lot of shooting clinics down there with Club age girls. The rep teams also get me in to do a few special shooting sessions with them and then obviously through GIANTS we have appearances that we'll head down for Saturdays I still love getting down there and catching up with everyone.
The GIANTS open their 2024 Suncorp Super Netball campaign against the West Coast Fever this Saturday 13 April at 5pm at home at Ken Rosewall Arena.
Get your tickets here
