SOME of central Victoria’s top under-14 netballers got some top level mentoring on Thursday during a training clinic run by Collingwood Magpies stars Madi Robinson and Geva Mentor.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A group of about 30 aspiring netballers from the AFL Central Victoria Academy were put through their paces by the Suncorp Super Netball duo at Bendigo Stadium.
The special training session came in the lead-up to the Magpies’ Saturday February 23 pre-season clash at the stadium against Queensland Firebirds.
AFL Central Victoria regional general manager Carol Cathcart said the clinic was a great opportunity for the talented youngsters to learn from the very best.
“Some of these girls have been with us for three years now and it’s a great chance for them to get ‘up close and personal’ to two truly classy players,” she said.
“Madi and Geva have played at world championships and Commonwealth Games, so it’s good for our girls to see that some of the things we are doing here are exactly what they are doing at the top level.
The academy is open to netballers throughout the AFL Central Victoria region, with girls from Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maryborough, Leitchville-Gunbower and Boort among those to participate on Thursday.
Separate programs are run of under-12 and under-13 netballers.
Cathcart said the main emphasis of the academy was on ‘development’.
“We want to make them better for when they go back to their teams or their squad, we don’t take them out of their teams or clubs,” she said.
“We want netball in central Victoria to get better, so we are here to develop their skills.”
Robinson, a member of the Diamonds’ gold medal winning team at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and silver medal-winning team at the Gold Coast games in 2018, said she was impressed by the academy girls’ enthusiasm during the hour-long session.
“They were eager and real keen to learn,” she said.
“For us it’s great just to get out into regional Victoria and make sure these girls are getting access to the elite coaching and netballers, just like everyone in the city.
“I’m a country girl, originally from Geelong, and I used to pay basketball up here in Bendigo and a few netball games, so it’s always nice to get out into regional Victoria.”
New team-mate Mentor has joined the Magpies following a two-season stint with the Lightning.
She previously spent five years with Melbourne Vixens and three with Adelaide Lightning.
