Making it to the top of the tree in elite netball is tough. Damn tough.
While local codes such as AFL and NRL are great sports in their own right, they don’t have the international playing numbers of 20 million-plus competing for 80 spots in Australia’s leading female sports league – Suncorp Super Netball.
Going on the sheer volume of people playing the game in Australia alone, to even make it into a netball pathway takes a huge amount talent, time and effort; and not just for the athlete.
“It sure is a balancing act trying to commit to the different netball programs while studying, working, and then somehow finding time to socialise,” says QBE Swifts Academy member Maddy Eaton.
“I’ve been in multiple netball programs since I was 15, so this balancing act is kind of all I’ve known.
“My parents have been integral in helping me juggle everything. They used to drive me 1.5hrs from Wollongong to Sydney five to six times a week for training, just to wait around for three to four hours while I trained before driving me back home.
“They’ve sacrificed so much over the years to help me reach my netball goals and aspirations – I honestly couldn’t have done it without them.”
Netball’s pathways are ridiculously competitive. It’s part of the reason the Australian Diamonds have been at the pinnacle of world netball (or near it) for so long.
The pathway starts at state level and works the whole way to the international game. For Eaton, who’s been a stalwart of the Origin Energy Premier League for a while, the competition has played a huge role in her development. And with it being so easy to access, Eaton says it’s a brilliant competition for the next generation to learn from.
“Premier League is the league just underneath the Australian Netball Championships (ANC) and consistent Premier League performances are crucial to gaining selection into the Swifts Academy and ANC team,” she says.
“My advice would be to take it week-by-week and aim to keep building on your previous performance.
“Cluch TV is also a great resource that you should be utilising to watch your games back and see what areas of your game you’re executing and what areas need working on. I’m the first to admit that I hate watching myself back, but reflecting on and learning from your performance is key to improving.”
Eaton was a Stingray, however, when the South Coast Blaze joined as an expansion franchise, it presented Eaton with the opportunity to play closer to home.
“I’m absolutely loving the move back home,” she says.
“I haven’t played for Illawarra since I was 14, so it’s been a long time coming. The culture at Blaze is awesome and I can confidently say that I’ve never had so much fun playing netball.
“Regarding the future with Blaze, we keep building each and every week and I’m just excited to see what our team can put out there as the season progresses.”
Eaton started out her Academy time with the GIANTS, however, she then decided to move into the NSW Swifts’ environment via the QBE Swifts Academy.
“I’ve been loving training with the Swifts Academy,” she says.
“Seeing that we only getting limited time together between all the other programs that we’re in, sessions are tough.
“But I love those kinds of sessions – the ones that your legs dread but that are the most rewarding.
“Regarding culture, I think I can speak on behalf of the girls in saying that the Swifts Academy is such a fun and motivating group to be a part of.
“We push each other out on court and in the gym to be the best athletes that we can be, and we’re certainly never short of laughter.”
The mix of hard work and play is one that suits Eaton, and she still has her eyes set on reaching the highest level of the game.
“Since I was a little girl, I’ve said that I want to play for the Diamonds someday, and that dream has never changed.
“It’s all about taking it step-by-step however and tackling one goal at a time, so at the moment I’m focused on improving each week at Premier League in order to give myself the best chance of making the ANC team.
“And my overarching goal for this year is to be a Super Netball training partner for the 2023 season.”
She’s certainly going the right way about it.
