The Waratah Academy is Netball NSW’s premier development program for our Nationally Identified athletes, built to equip the state’s most talented young athletes for the challenges of national and international netball.
Athletes identified through the National Netball Championships and First Nations Nationals; the Waratah Academy delivers a holistic Daily Training Environment that supports individual technical development and personal growth.
The 12-month program is led by some of the most experienced and respected staff within the Netball NSW system, including Head Coaches Jen Wright and Amber Cross, Head Physiotherapist Mel Tallent, Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Tassone, and Program Manager Mele Tiauli. Together, they offer athletes a consistent, high-performance training environment.
“The Waratah Academy is an outstanding program that provides our athletes with the opportunity to grow individually as both athletes and people. Our coaching team works closely with Netball Australia to elevate the technical and tactical skills required to continue seeing our athletes achieve at the highest level in our sport,” said Mardi Aplin, General Manager – Performance & Pathways, Netball NSW.
“We’ve seen the importance of this program in enhancing the individual performance of our athletes, especially with the inclusion of Super Netball (SN) reserves for the Swifts and Giants Academies now needing to train in a highly competitive environment. The Waratah Academy’s focus is on holistic development—supporting athletes to grow both on and off the court. Athletes can apply to be part of the Swifts and Giants Academies from the age of 18."
A key goal of the Waratah Academy is to ensure that athletes are physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for the demands of elite netball. A major milestone in this journey is selection for the Underage National Camps, held at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. These camps bring together the best emerging talent from across the country, providing a high-performance environment where athletes are challenged to grow, compete, and benchmark themselves against their national peers.
This week, the 17U national squad entered camp including Seven NSW athletes who have progressed through the Netball NSW pathway; Marley Aplin, Evalina Carneiro, Marley Dighton, Matilda Fanning, Matilda Percival, Sarah Hicks, and Ruby Nero.
