Tayla Fraser swift to upskill with Diamonds, Roses, netballers on tap
Not many young athletes get to train alongside Australian and English stars so this young netballer plans on making the most of it when she is finally allowed back on the court.
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Netball rising star Tayla Fraser hopes one day to be playing opposite an English Rose but right now she’s happy to be training alongside one.
The Kellyville netballer has been named a NSW Swifts training partner for the second year as the club attempts to defend the Super Netball title it won in 2019.
A string of injuries saw Fraser move from the training group and into the playing 10 on a number of occasions last season, including a short stint in the dying stages of the grand final against Sunshine Coast Lightning.
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And it’s a moment she will never forget.
“It was such an incredible honour, I was very lucky to be in the team so it was so special,” said the 20-year-old.
“It was honestly incredible. We all did a big stack on at the end. We are all great friends so it was so good to celebrate with them.”
As a training partner. Fraser sweated out the pre-season with the Swifts main playing 10 - including fellow centre courters Paige Hadley, a Diamond, Swifts captain Maddy Proud and English star and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Natalie Haythorthwaite.
“I would love to be in the (playing) 10 but there is a lot of things I’d like to improve on … I want to get faster, fitter and stronger,’’ she said.
“I also want to learn more off the incredible centre courts I have around me in Natalie, Paige and Maddy.
“Not many people get to train in this environment.
“I’m pretty much a sponge. I just stand there and take it all in.”
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Netball officials are hoping to know by later this month when Super Netball will be reactivated.
Netball Australia CEO Marne Fechner is optimistic the season will be able to take place in the not-too-distant future.
“The Netball Australia COVID-19 taskforce is working with relevant government departments, and our state and territory member organisations, to build robust guidelines to assist community leagues and associations get up and running easily once government restrictions allow them to do so.”