It was a year in which Men's Netball burst into the mainstream, and Australian captain - and North Shore United Head Coach - Dylan Nexhip was at the forefront of the positive development.
He sat down with Netball NSW for a Q&A to reflect on a momentous 2022.
It has been a landmark year for Men in Netball. What has this year meant for you?
2022 will be a year I remember forever and it is quite difficult to put into words what it means.
When I am asked this question in 10 years’ time I will have a clearer response, however it has been truly remarkable. 2022 has seen many of my childhood dreams come true, from winning an Open Men's Title at Nationals, to representing the Australian Men's Netball Team and claiming the Trans-Tasman Trophy. I feel extremely privileged to have been part of these experiences and these are moments I will cherish forever.
In terms of the international stage and the advancement of men's netball on a global scale, 2022 has been extremely significant. Having matches broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo for the first time has sparked incredible interest in our sport, which is helping our sport evolve. Having the opportunity to travel alongside and train with the Diamonds was incredible, it was the perfect preparation for us and I guess we can say we contributed to their Constellation Cup victory and clean sweep of the England series.
On a personal note, getting to spend time with Liz Watson and learn from her as a leader, is an experience I am thankful for. She carries herself with such purpose and clarity and creates a warm and welcoming environment. Again, I feel privileged that I am the person who has been able to have these experiences, and I must acknowledge the legends of the men's game who have paved the way for these opportunities to occur. Whilst 2022 has been a landmark year, this series of events has been a culmination of the hard work and dedication hundreds of people have given to the sport. I am hopeful this is just the start of the public exposure, joint tours and men's netball is going to continue creating history and forging its own path in the netball world.
What was your experience like as the Aussie captain in a year of huge firsts for your team?
The experience of leading this group of athletes was incredible. When I was told of my appointment, I was obviously thrilled and super proud to have been entrusted with this position by my peers, the coaches and management. As captain my aim was to create an environment that empowered everyone to be the best version of themselves, both on and off the court.
Working alongside Nerida Stewart was a dream, she was extremely supportive of all my crazy ideas and I like to think that we complement each other perfectly. I believe I have a natural style of leadership, and can identify moments when it is time to be serious, but also identify moments when we can have some fun. The additional extras of being Captain were a definite learning curve, but an absolute thrill.
My aim was to put messages out into the world which were positive and important in terms of the advancement of our sport. Having a team so committed to the cause of playing excellent netball and raising the profile of our sport, made my role easy. The team is a dream to lead, the commitment each individual demonstrates is incredible and everyone's work ethic is second to none. Being able to lead the team onto various courts - Spark Arena (Auckland), John Cain Arena (Melbourne) and Qudos Bank Arena (Sydney) - were absolutely “pinch-me” moments. I am so grateful that these moments have been captured in time and they are there forever to be able to reflect on.
What did it mean to you to have the Netball NSW Men’s Metro League introduced?
The introduction of Netball NSW Men's Metro League has been a huge step forward for the sport. It adds an additional layer of authenticity to the men's game, gaining the recognition we have been seeking to move our game forward. It is brilliant walking into Netball Central on a Monday or Tuesday evening and seeing the different Association colours splashed across the courts. It is another example of how male and female netball can work alongside one another to promote the game. In an article written by the BBC Geva Mentor said: "Why not get excited about it (men's netball)? It brings a different dynamic. It's not trying to replace female netball - it's just trying to find its own niche in the world."
This resonates with me and it is absolutely true. Men who play netball love the sport and are the biggest supporters of netball and the female athletes. By Netball NSW introducing Men's Metro League they've shown other governing bodies and state organisations how a male competition can function and work. As a player, I am grateful for the work Men's Netball NSW and Netball NSW have done to get this competition off the ground and I encourage other states to follow suit and be the changemaker our sport deserves.
Tell us a little bit about your netball journey? What age did you start playing and how did you go about it?
My netball journey started many years ago, back when I was in Grade 4. I was really lucky to grow up in a sporty family, where we were encouraged and supported to participate in a range of sports.
When I was young, my Mum was still playing netball for the local club, which meant training on a Thursday and games on a Saturday. I would go in with Mum to training and run around, trying to join in when I could and the love for the sport grew from there. I then began playing in the local Association on a Saturday morning from the age of 10, up until the age of 12.
Due to the age and gender restrictions, I was no longer able to play in this competition. As a 12-year-old, I didn't think too deeply about what this meant, and whilst I was disappointed that I could no longer play, I was aware of the rules in place so it did not come as a shock. Upon reflection, this is something that advocates of men's netball across the country are working tirelessly to change.
I am a firm believer and am advocating that no one should ever be told “no”, you can't play a sport, and this is any sport, due to your gender. Sport is about providing opportunities for people to be involved, to grow as a person, to be challenged, to learn valuable life skills and forge friendships which can last a lifetime.
From there I switched sports and being in country Victoria I played AFL during the winter and continued to play tennis during the summer. I tried to stay involved with netball, looking for opportunities to play in mixed social competitions or anything else that popped up. I then began coaching at 21, for Tongala in our local football and netball league. I moved to Melbourne in 2015 and that is when I started to pick up the playing side of netball again, joining M League and VMMNA, and have now arrived to where I am now.
This year saw Male Divisions introduced at State Titles, in which your team were the inaugural Opens Male Senior State Titles Champions. Can you tell us what that means for young boys and up-and-coming players?
The State Titles earlier this year was such a fun event. It is another step forward in demonstrating there is a pathway for boys and men to play netball. The buzz that was created at State Titles by having men's divisions was huge and it added an extra element to the weekend. The Open Male competition gives young players something to aspire to and a goal to work towards as an emerging player. We also hope that it might gauge interest from a young boy who is there watching his sister or supporting a friend and inspire them to start playing. It also shows that netball is for all, regardless of gender and the success of the tournament proved that. I am excited to see this tournament grow and the number of male participants increase.
You have been involved in every positive development for men’s netball this year. What has been the most rewarding part?
For me, the most rewarding part has been the beautiful messages received from friends, family, supporters and netball fans. My Mum and sister also came across to New Zealand to support and they have both been hugely influential in my netball career, so having them there meant the world.
There have been many occasions where netball lovers have reached out to say “our son watched your game and your team has inspired him to start playing netball”, or “our son watched the game and asked when he can start playing netball”. One of the members of our team received a photo of his nephew who had a casual dress day at school and had dressed as him playing netball. He had the GD bib on, holding a netball and had a grin from ear to ear and was so proud that he was going to school as his uncle who is an Australian Men's Netball athlete.
Knowing that we are using the platform we have been provided to have a positive impact on other people, is by far the most rewarding experience. For people that know me they know I love winning, but the feeling of joy you receive when you know you are having a positive impact on others is immeasurable. The opportunities I have been part of are far greater than me, they are about utilising the platforms we have been provided for men's netball to gain the recognition it deserves.
Aside from your illustrious playing career, you also spotlight as a coach with the North Shore United Opens Premier League team, of which you will be the head coach next year. How exciting was the premiership win this year?
The 2022 premiership for NSU was amazing. I learnt so much from this group of athletes in terms of commitment to a cause, work ethic and creating a culture of high performance and connectedness. The premiership was absolutely deserving of the work this group of athletes put in. After the 2021 season was cut short, the athletes had an unbelievable amount of drive to win this title.
The group at NSU have an incredible amount of internal motivation and this pushes each of them better themselves every training session and better those around them. Getting to work alongside Kim Green OAM was incredible and I learnt so much from her as a person, player and coach and I am excited to put that into practice in 2023.
What are you looking forward to with NSU next year?
For me, I feel so fortunate to have been appointed into this role, and know I have big shoes to fill. However, I am ready for the challenge. The team will look very similar to 2022 which is fantastic, so the focus is about raising the bar and identifying what we need to do to take our game to the next level.
The team is well balanced in terms of youth and experience and I am excited to see what our young girls can do and how they develop, and I am also excited to see our experienced players continue to push themselves and set a high standard for everyone to follow. Once we get started, I am looking forward to putting my own spin on a few parts and testing the girls, particularly during pre-season. I am also very excited to be on the other side of agility drills! We have the challenge of being the two-time defending champions and I am looking forward to seeing how the team embraces that. I have full faith in this group of athletes and I cannot wait to see the standard of netball they produce.
There are a few male players that are beginning to become Training Partners for Premier League teams. What does this mean for the growth of the Men’s game and what does this add to the women’s game?
This is an initiative we are really proud of at North Shore United, the inclusion of male training partners into the program. For season 2023, we have signed seven male training partners across our Opens and 23s teams and it is fantastic to hear and see other franchises following suit. The female athletes at NSU have been extremely receptive to this innovation, embracing the involvement of male athletes into the program.
This opportunity for male athletes is a big step forward in many ways, as they have the space where they can develop the basics and mechanics of their game, which they can transfer into their own playing experiences. On the contrary, the men give the female athletes something different to think about and compete against. It brings a different dynamic to the training environment, an added layer of challenge. If harnessed in the correct way, the men and women athletes have so much to learn from each other which is only going to benefit their game.
