By Matt Fotia
Victorian Marie Little Shield veteran Rachael Potter has a hunger for elite sport.
A long-term leader with the Victorian all-abilities netball side, Potter has also represented Australia in basketball and competes regularly in both the traditional format and 3-on-3.
Incredibly Potter has been dealing with adversity since she was a toddler.
She was three when she was diagnosed with developmental delay, a condition where a child develops their skills much slower than other children their age, but quickly learned to handle the challenges that came with the diagnosis.
“I basically just learn slower than others,” Potter explained.
“It impacted me a lot more when I was younger, but then I started to learn how to work around it.”
Although Potter is regularly a part of all-abilities sporting teams and competitions, most of her netball life has been lived in mainstream netball.
Initially hesitant on court due to her disability, Potter has adapted to every challenge thrown her way citing a team focus as her key driver.
“I learn a lot better when things are shown to me, rather than just being told,” Potter said.
“Growing up I found it a bit difficult because I was learning different things, and I was a bit tentative, but now I just play.
“Once you’re in a high level like opens, you don’t really care (about your individual performance), you just play as a team.”
Potter is a talented multi-sport athlete.A sense of club is strong within Potter.
Introduced to netball at the Woolworths NetSetGo level, she has played all her non-representative netball for one club, the Ringwood North Netball Club who play in the Melbourne East Netball Association and has loved every minute.
“I’ve only ever been with one netball club, Ringwood North, and I would never go anywhere else,” Potter stated.
“I’ve just always loved running around like a headless chook, doing what we do and having a good time on the court.
“If we win it’s even better.”
Potter is fond of all her netballing relationships and has found several supports at the outer eastern club, but one coach in particular, Gavin Carroll has guided her through the ups and downs of her netball journey thus far.
“Giving my now coach Gavin, a personalised t-shirt from the whole team, which he wears every Saturday, has been one of my favourite netball moments,” Potter said.
“We’re naturally close on and off the court. He has my back; he supports me through everything.
“He’s like my netball dad.”
Introduced to the Marie Little Shield program by one of her schoolteachers, Potter will be a part of Victoria’s squad for a fifth time in 2024 and has been a member of the side’s leadership group for a large part of her journey.
Potter believes her involvement with the Marie Little Shield has been instrumental in her development as a person, more so than a netballer.
“At first it was a little bit frustrating because I didn’t really understand everybody else’s disability,” Potter explained.
“But once I got used to it and started learning about other people’s disabilities, I realised everyone can play at the level.
“Learning what disability they have, how it works for them, watching their body language and just talking to them about it has really helped me understand everyone better.
“It’s incredible to see what disabilities people have and how they work around it, both on the court and off the court.”
Potter has been named captain of the Victorian side for the 2024 edition of the Marie Little Shield, leading a side who are hellbent on defending their 2023 crown.
The skipper has a simple message for her troops.
“This is the highest level you can go for all-abilities netball, so you’ve just got to go out there and do your best and be there for each other.”
