Tribes of the Territory: Young Alice Springs sportswoman Gabby Coffey on an ascent to greatness

AT just 20 years old, Alice Springs netball star Gabby Coffey is already one of the NT’s most celebrated sportspeople, and also one of its most inspiring and admired young people.

Alice Springs netball star Gaby Coffey. Picture: Tom Volling

AT age 20, Gabby Coffey is already one of the Northern Territory’s most celebrated sportspeople. And also one of our most inspiring and admired young people.

You get the feeling that this netball prodigy will leave a legacy that resides well beyond the court – as Gabby is studying at the world-elite University of Melbourne, and a big dream of hers is to be a primary school teacher.

Gabby’s is a wonderful Northern Territory story.

She was born in Darwin, lived in Katherine and Tennant, and grew up in Alice Springs.

Her dad’s a cop, her mum’s a nurse, and she always loved playing sport.

“Dad (Mark) has been a really big help with the sport side of things. He played a lot of Aussie Rules in the Adelaide Hills, where he’s from,” she said.

“Mum (Cate) has put so much time and effort into giving me support.

“They both have given me every opportunity with netball.

“They are always helping me out! I owe them everything. They are the best parents ever. I miss them!”

Gabby says her older brothers Matt and Patty helped hone her early competitive spirit.

“I was a little bit competitive with them when I was younger! I always wanted to be a part of the boys!,” she said.

“They are really funny, and I get along really well with them.”

Gabby says her younger sister Annie is also a big part of her life.

“She’s great! We get along so well. She’s the complete opposite of me,” she said.

“She’s started playing footy as well with Pioneers!”

Gabby is an Indigenous lady, a part of the Wiradjuri people, from New South Wales.

“It’s really important to me, it comes through mum’s side,” she said.

“At uni there are so many people from my land too.”

Gabby wants to help unify Australians, by increasing awareness of Indigenous culture, and also the difficulties that Indigenous people can face.

“I feel really privileged to have a powerful platform through sport,” she said.

“I really want to help people understand the different cultures. And to help people understand the hardships that Indigenous people have faced.”

Gabby says the key is “understanding differences”, and “having those conversations with people”.

Sport is a powerful unifier, and it’s also been a powerful driving force in Gabby’s life.

“I always loved netball and playing with Feds,” she said.

“I played so much sport! Basketball, swimming, I did ballet.

“I really wanted to make the Under 17 NT netball side to play at Nationals in Sydney, so then I just focused on netball.”

At just 15 years of age, Gabby made that team, and her netball career has been on a rapid ascent ever since.

“I went away with (the) team, and it really inspired me. Seeing all these older, stronger athletes. I thought, ‘This is what I could become’,” she said.

Gabby completed Year 10 at St. Phillips, and then won a scholarship to finish high school at the prestigious Caulfield Grammar in Melbourne.

“School was crazy – it was tough, but I really enjoyed it,” she said.

“It opened up my world, doing different subjects, like global politics. It helped me understand what was going on in the world.”

In netball, the Goal Keeper and Goal Defence who’d dominated in Alice was starting to stake her claim at the National Level.

Gabby was playing for Caulfield Grammar at school level, Melbourne University Lightning at club level, and was soon selected to represent Victoria at the Underage National level.

She also won a scholarship to the prestigious Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS).

“When I first got to the VIS, I couldn’t believe it – I was training with people who had just come back from World Champs, or Olympics!,” she said.

“Every sport is so different, and seeing all the wacky exercises they do!

“I’d grown up watching Jo Weston and Liz Watson on TV, and now I was in game-play with them.

“It was so nerve-racking at first, I went into my little shell. But they were so welcoming, and the feedback they give you – it’s so cool! I was like, ‘Oh my God, they are giving me feedback!’”

Gabby says the key to overcoming nerves and feeling as though she belongs is hard work.

“I felt like, if I just get in there and train, I’ll get better just being with these kinds of people around me. Just get in there, and get as much experience as I can!,” she said.

“There’s been so much support, from State level to club level, the coaches are so supportive. They have made my life so much easier.”

One special mentor is Gabby’s old NT Coach, Deb Gray.

“Deb has helped me through the whole way!,” she said.

“Even now she calls me and gives me life advice.

“I’m very grateful for her!”

In 2018, Gabby Coffey became an Australian Champion.

All the way from Alice, Gabby trialled to make the Victorian State Under 19 side.

Victoria is a powerhouse of world netball. And Gabby made the Starting 7.

The team headed to South Australia, made the final, then took on and beat the home side to become National Champions.

Gabby says it was “the most incredible experience”.

Gabby Coffey playing netball for the SIS/SAS squad. Pic: Supplied

There is plenty more where that came from, for Gabby Coffey.

Gabby was selected to become a member of the holy grail of Australian sport, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

Right now, she is in the midst of trials to make the Australian side to play at next year’s Youth World Cup.

At the beginning of the year, she was selected for a Development Squad for the Melbourne Vixens, who play in Australia’s number one netball comp, Suncorp Super Netball (SSN).

Gabby says it is a major dream of hers to play in the SSN, and she is first hoping to firmly establish herself in the next tier down, the Australian National League.

“I’d love to play with an SSN team, and maybe hopefully play for the Diamonds (Australian National team) one day!,” she said.

“We’ll see where it takes me.

“I’ll just keep playing netball until I don’t love it anymore.”

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Gabby is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts, with Communications and Media, and a mix of politics.

She says she’d love to be involved in the media, whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes.

And down the track, “I really, really want to be a primary school teacher!”

In terms of her advice for those reading, young and old, who want to make their dreams come true:

“Go and get it!,” she said.

“It’s not easy. I don’t love netball all the time – but I know it’s what I want to do.

“If you know what you want to do, do it! It doesn’t matter if you’re successful or fail.

“Even (if) I don’t achieve what I want with netball – I’ll still be grateful for the whole experience!

“If you know you want something, go for it – with your heart on your sleeve!”

Gabby Coffey is a young woman on an ascent to greatness. As a matter of fact, she’s already there.