Karan Smith (nee Bulloch) started her netball career playing as a junior at Manly-Warringah Netball Australia at the age of nine. Since first lacing her netball shoes in 1970, Karan had a meteoric rise through the netball ranks.
Karan first made the NSW Open team in 1978 at the age of 17, at which time she was coached by NSW legend and Hall of Fame Inductee (1982) Margaret Corbett.
An aerialist defender with superior timing and ability, the NSW State teams benefitting from Karan’s talent from 1978 to 1984, in which she represented the Waratah in six consecutive seasons.
And, it was during this time that Karan was selected in her first Australian team in 1981.
She was included in the Australian Team tour of New Zealand in 1982 and was part of the victorious Australian Team which competed at the 1983 World Netball Championship team conducted in Singapore.
During her national career Karan represented Australia 16 times as a defender, renowned as a player beautiful to watch in action, guaranteed to make an impact for her teammates and could always be relied upon to create ‘something’ special for her side.
Since her retirement, Karan has remained involved with the sport by taking on various coaching roles. She is currently the Head Coach of the Narrabeen Sports High School netball program, and frequently assists her good friend and fellow Australian team mate, Anne Sargeant with her private netball clinics.
Karen was inducted into the Netball NSW Hall of Fame in 2012.
