A member of the Randwick Netball Association, Carole Sykes* first represented NSW in 1959 as a member of the NSW Night team.
Selected in the NSW Opens Team in 1962, Carole spent nine years in the team; three as Vice-Captain and two as Captain. Her performances for NSW earned her selection in the 1970 Australian Netball Squad.
After retiring from playing in 1979, Carole turned her attention to coaching. Prior to coaching the NSW 17/U team to three National Championship victories from four attempts, she was a member of the Australian Team staff as a satellite coach.
In 1991 and from 1993 through to 1996, Carole coached in the ESSO Super League and MOBIL League competitions, claiming the Prime Minister’s Cup as MOBIL League National Champions in 1991 with Sydney Pulsars and 1995 with Sydney Electricity.
Returning from a six year break in 2001, Carole coached in the NSW Indigenous State of Origin Series for a number of years, whilst juggling her commitments to the National program as a selector for the Opens, 17 and 19 age groups.
Awarded an Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for her services to the administration of netball, Carole was also a selector for the NSW Swifts that claimed the inaugural 2008 ANZ Championship.
Since 2017, Netball NSW's two professional franchises, the Swifts and GIANTS Netball, have contested the Carole Sykes Memorial Trophy, played for in every competitive clash between the sides.
In recognition for her extensive contribution to netball, Carole was inducted into the Netball NSW Hall of Fame in 2008.
State Representation: 1959–1961 NSW Night State Team; Player 1962–1971 NSW Open Team – Vice Captain for three years, Captain for two years; 1992–1995 Coach, NSW 17/U Team, three time National Champions; 2001–2004 Coach, NSW Indigenous State of Origin Series.
International Representation: Carole was named in the 1970 Australian Squad; 1989–1992 Australian Team Satellite Coach; 2002-2008 Australian selector – Opens, 17/U & 19/U.
*denotes deceased
