by Brittany Carter
If you don’t know it already, remember the name: Freddie Schneideman.
For the past four years, the young star has been rapidly on the rise, with no signs of slowing down.
In 2021, Schneideman made her debut in the U23s Providoor Premier League aged 16, after coming through the pathway at the Sydney Netball Academy.
Despite being one of the youngest players on court, her efforts caught the eye of state selectors and next thing, she’d been named in the NSW 17U team.
Unfortunately, that year, not only were the National Netball Championships cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, so too was the Premier League midway through its season.
The good news for Schneideman, was now that she’d been identified as one of the brightest young defenders NSW had to offer, it was only the beginning of her journey.
Next year, Schneideman was back in the state NSW 17U side and raring to actually play some games, with the added confidence of being picked up by the Swifts Academy.
Playing in Hobart, the NSW team went all the way through the tournament undefeated to claim gold, beating Victoria 38-35 in the final.
Then in 2023, it was time for Schneideman to make bold moves that would take her to the next level.
The first: a switch to the Eastwood Ryde Hawks. The second: a step up to the Opens Providoor Premier League.
Here, Schneideman was playing under the guidance of Hawks head coach Anita Keelan and alongside the likes of former Aussie Diamond Mo’onia Gerard in the defensive circle.
Both had strong ties to the Swifts, as a former assistant coach and player, respectively.
Before the season started, Keelan was also appointed as Netball Australia’s Pathway Head Coach, while Gerard had declared her intentions to come out of retirement and get fit as a 42-year-old mother of four with a goal of representing Tonga at the Netball World Cup.
To be 18, right at the beginning of your career and rubbing shoulders with these incredible netball brains was simply a crazy opportunity.
Overall, their tutelage led Schneideman close to success.
She made the NSW 19U team that went on to claim bronze at nationals before heading to the AIS in Canberra for the Australian 19U camp.
The Hawks then finished as runners-up in the Providoor Premier League and her Swifts Academy side also finished as runners-up at the Australian National Championships.
Although it must have been frustrating to come so close, those experiences put Schneideman in an incredible position for 2024.
Because this year, there was to be another first – signing a Super Netball training partner contract.
“I was so excited when I got the call and I think the Swifts Academy does a really good job of getting you ready for that next level, so you’re not startled by all the big-name players,” Schneideman said.
“In saying that, I can barely move after the Swifts sessions … The intensity of training is nothing that I've ever experienced before, they expect your best and to be exposed to all that talent is amazing.
“What I’ve loved about the environment is that they do a really good job of making sure that you feel comfortable and welcome, it does feel just like a family as everyone says.”
Asked what she’d learnt from Briony Akle so far, Schneideman said the two-time championship winning Swifts coach was really good at putting things into perspective.
“The one thing that she always says that has really stuck with me is to not to put too much pressure on yourself as a young player, she makes that very clear,” Schneideman said.
“Our job is to push the senior players, so we just need to focus on that and I think Briony does a really good job of making us feel included.”
2024 is also the year Schneideman has returned to the top of the ranks at nationals, helping her NSW side take out the 19U title in an undefeated campaign.
For many of the athletes in this team, including the Hawks defender, it was their last ever state tournament, making for an emotional farewell.
“You should have seen us, we were all wrecked and so tired by the end of it, but it was an amazing way to finish,” Schneideman said.
“There was a lot of waterworks, because our team has been together for a long time and to go out on the high of a gold medal was incredible.
“Nationals is always a long week and before that it's three months of intense training, where you don't get many weekends off, not many opportunities to hang out your non-netball friends, so you truly put your heart and soul into it.
“To see that all pay off and to make it through undefeated felt pretty special.”
For a second year in a row, Schneideman was also recognised with Australian U19 selection.
This means, although Keelan has moved on from the Hawks to focus on her coaching duties in the national pathways, the pair will link up again at the AIS in Canberra come July.
“I think the best thing about it, is getting to meet the girls from all the different states and being able to combine with them,” Schneideman said.
“There's so much talent exposed at nationals so when you get to come together in one squad it's really cool and I’ve made friends with players from other states, so it'll be nice to get back together and not be enemies.”
With Keelan moving on, last year’s U23s runner-up head coach at the UTS Randwick Sparks, Karen Stonnill, decided to make the switch to the Hawks Opens.
So far, the team are still maintaining their dominance on the competition, sitting in the top two as we near the middle of the season.
As for Gerrard, she may be officially retired again, but she has now turned her attention to coaching – working alongside another former Hawk Jay Rikard-Bell as assistants to Stonnill.
Schneideman said she feels really lucky to be surrounded by such amazing coaches.
“Playing with Mo’onia last year was incredible and we’ve been super grateful to have her stick around at the Hawks,” she said.
“I can really tell a difference in my game.
“She’s so encouraging, always giving us tips from the sideline, and making sure we're always hungry for the ball … Really trying to coach that mongrel into us, which is what she based her career on.”
The Hawks U23s are also seeing a huge improvement this year, rising from the bottom of the ladder in 2023 to compete amongst the top four.
Providoor Premier League take place every Wednesday Night at Netball Central and every centre pass, intercept and goal will be streamed live and on demand via netballnsw.tv. Tickets available here
