Top rising players of Gympie and District Netball Association
From ‘little pocket rockets’ to outstanding goal shooters, these players have been named as Gympie’s top young netball players. See the full list.
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The Gympie Netball and District Association has had a tough year following the devastating floods which ravaged the local courts but the club still has many stars in the making turning out highlight performances during games.
These athletes, ranging from as young as nine to 17 years old, have worked their way to the top through hours of training and dedication.
Here are the 20 rising netball players to watch in Gympie:
Hannah Ward
Age: 16
Position: Goal Defence
Team:
Local junior club team Thunder
Local ladies club team Apparently
Caloundra club team Monarchs
Caloundra U16 Rep Team
Caloundra U16 Thunder Premier League Team
Hannah is an outstanding defender and her skills are always improving.
“Her dedication to her sport is inspiring,” Gympie Netball president Colleen Miller said.
She is a member of the Thunder Netball Academy and previously represented Wide Bay.
Hannah has been a player in both the junior and ladies teams in local competitions as well as Division 1 in the Caloundra club competition in 2022.
She also played for the Caloundra Under 16s rep team and Caloundra Under 16s Thunder Premier League Team.
Lauren Cartwright
Age: 17
Position: Mid-court
Team:
Local junior club team Mystics
Caloundra club team Monarchs
Caloundra U17 Rep Team
Caloundra Opens TPL team
Lauren is a versatile player who has shone in both mid-court and defence, Mrs Miller said.
She represented Caloundra in the Queensland Premier League and was voted MVP and Player’s Player in 2021.
Lauren has been very busy in 2022, playing junior netball for Gympie, Division 1 in the Caloundra competition and the opens team for Caloundra in the Thunder Premier League.
Leisl Bekker
Age: 15
Position: Mid-court
Team:
Local junior club team Thunder
Local ladies club team Apparently
Caloundra club team Monarchs
Caloundra U15 Rep Team
Leisl is a “little pocket rocket” who trained hard to hone her skills, Mrs Miller said.
She is an “exceptionally talented” mid-courter and has shown improvement with every match and training session.
Leisl has been participating in the local rep side for several years and had the honour of representing Caloundra in the under 15s rep.
Sophie Davies
Age: 13
Position: Goal Shooter, Goal Attack
Team:
Local junior club team Kilkivan Jets
Local ladies club team Kilkivan
Gympie U13 Rep Team
Sophie is an “amazing young” athlete who, already at 182cm tall, is a formidable target in the shooting circle, Mrs Miller said.
She was involved in both the Gympie junior and ladies competition and played in the under 13s rep team.
She also represented Wide Bay when she was 12 years old.
Chelsea Rendell
Age: 13
Position: Goal Attack and mid-court
Team:
Local junior club team Victory Flames
Ladies club team Apparently
U13 Rep Team
Chelsea is a “great little player” and shows incredible understanding of the game, Mrs Miller said.
She is extremely versatile and always shines on the court.
Chelsea proved her skills when she previously represented Wide Bay at 12 years old and was on the under 13s rep side team this year.
Florence Shannon
Age: 13
Position: Defence and mid-court
Team:
Local junior club team Fusion
U13 Rep Team
Florence is new to Gympie netball, but has already made her mark in the sport and the club expects “big things for this young lady”.
“A naturally gifted athlete, Florence is quick and has incredible elevation,” Mrs Miller said.
She represented Gympie in 2022 in the under 13s.
Jovie Telford
Age: 13
Position: Mid-court and defence
Team:
Local junior club team Wildcats
U13 Rep Team
Jovie has been described as a player who is on the cusp of “something phenomenal” by the club.
Mrs Miller said she was an extremely athletic netballer and always put in all of her effort when she stepped onto the court.
In 2022, she represented Gympie in the under 13s rep side.
Caitlin Munn
Age: 12
Position: All-rounder
Team:
Local junior club team Inferno
U12 Rep Team
Caitlin had been involved with netball her whole life, and Mrs Miller said she definitely proved it on the court.
“At 12 years old, she is already experienced beyond her years, has height and the most incredible wing span out there,” Mrs Miller said.
She had been playing club netball for many years, represented Wide Bay in the under 11s team last year and represented Gympie in the under 12s rep side this year.
Becci McKee
Age: 17
Position: Defence
Team:
Local junior club team Troublemakers
Local ladies club team Insider
Becci has been a part of the club for a long time and has represented Gympie since she was 12 years old.
“Becci is an amazingly talented netballer whose discipline has seen her consistently make the Wide Bay side over the years,” Mrs Miller said.
Becci was chosen to be on the under 19s Wide Bay side in 2022.
Ella Chammen
Age: 11
Position: Goal Attack
Team:
Local junior club team East
U12 rep fill in
Ella has been playing for Gympie in recent years and her height and athleticism make her a fantastic netballer.
“At the tender age of 11, Ella is already making her mark on the netball scene,” Mrs Miller said.
Ella was a part of the Gympie team that trialled for Wide Bay and filled in for the under 12s Gympie Rep Side for the majority of the season.
“Certainly one to watch,” Mrs Miller said.
Anneke Jenkins
Age: 12
Position: Goal Attack, Goal Shooter
Team:
Local junior club team Fusion
U12 Rep team
12-year-old Anneke has been with Gympie netball for several years already.
This tenacious young player is a valuable asset to any team with her drive and determination.
“Anneke was part of the under 12s rep side this year and we expect to see her name around for a long time,” Mrs Miller said.
Lena Swenson
Age: 12
Position: Goal Attack, Goal Shooter
Team: Local junior club team Wildcats
U12 Rep Team
Lena is described as an amazing little player.
“Wise beyond her years, Lena has a great understanding of the game and is a very accurate goaler,” Mrs Miller said.
Lena was chosen for the under 12’s rep team this year and the club expected a bright future in netball for young netballer.
Lilly Sleep
Age: 11
Position: Mid-court
Team: Local junior club team Mustangs
Lilly has a fantastic grasp on the game despite her young age.
“What she lacks in size, she makes up for in skill and determination,” Mrs Miller said.
It would be exciting to see what the talented netballer had in stock for the future, she said.
Kymba Todd
Age: 13
Position: Defence
Team:
Local junior club team Fireflies
U13 Rep Team
Kymba brought a strong defence to her team in 2022 and was an “imposing sight,” reaching almost 182cm.
“She reads the play and is incredibly strong in her rebounds,” Mrs Miller said.
Kymba has been on the under 13s rep side for the past two years and has improved every year.
Nikki Patterson
Age: 14
Position: Defence and Attack
Team:
Local junior club team Victory Flames
U14 Rep Team
Nikki is a newcomer to Gympie Netball but had already made a great impact.
“She is a strong defender, but can switch into attack when needed and still be very effective,” Mrs Miller said.
She had the honour of joining the under 14s rep team in 2022.
Chloe Henry-May
Age: 9
Position: Versatile
Team: Local junior club team Kilkivan Junior Jets
Chloe is a newcomer to the sport but has proven she will be one to watch in the future.
At only nine years old, this young athlete already has a grasp of the game and a lot of versatility on the court Mrs Miller said.
Charlett Ost
Age: 14
Position: Mid-court
Team:
Local junior club team Collective
U14 Rep Team
Charlett is an “amazing young player” and worked hard in 2022 to improve her skills.
The extremely athletic netballer was a part of the under 14s rep team this year.
“Her drive and discipline are a credit to her,” Mrs Miller said.
Sophie Mullaly
Age: 11
Position: Versatile
Team: One Mile Blue Lightning
This young player shows great promise in netball, Mrs Miller says.
Sophie has been involved in the sport for several years and is definitely “one to watch.”
Despite her young age, Sophie had a mature playing style which is “exciting to see,” Mrs Miller said.
Lilly Pick
Age: 9
Position: Versatile
Team: Kilkivan Junior Jets
Lilly, at nine years old, already has an incredible understanding of the game.
“She has played for a couple of years and has grown so much in that time,” Ms Miller said.
“We expect to see amazing things from this young lady.”
Jasmine Streeter
Age: 11
Position: Mid-court
Team: Chatsworth Rubies
Jasmine has been on the court for several years and has proven to be a quick and determined player.
Her attitude would take her a long way and she was a star on the rise, Mrs Miller said.
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