By Sophie Taylor
Community programs are a cornerstone of the netball journey.
But what happens to the grassroots communities that haven’t been catered to?
Netball Australia, partnering with Visit Victoria and supported by Coaching Unlimited, identified an opportunity to bridge the gap and forge an improved First Nations pathway into the high-performance system.
This involved leading a series of First Nations Coaching Accreditation courses within First Nations communities, upskilling existing coaches and community leaders.
And who better to be involved in these courses than Ali Tucker-Munro, proud Kamilaroi woman and Netball Australia’s First Nations Engagement Lead.
Over the course of 2024, Netball Australia and Visit Victoria have delivered formal coaching accreditation programs at Rumbalara FNC in Shepparton, Worawa Aboriginal College and Fitzroy Stars FNC.
More than 20 coaches have since undergone their Foundation level coaching accreditation.
The Tour to Con Cup provided some of these newly accredited First Nations coaches an opportunity to come together at the Origin Diamonds’ fourth Constellation Cup in October, where they met with and learned from Tucker-Munro.
Tucker-Munro is proud of the work being done across grassroots communities, but admits there is still more to be done, with Victoria the only state in the country that does not have a First Nations coach currently in the High Performance Pathway.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for netball to get back into the grassroots, ensuring that First Nations coaches are forming part of a broader ability to empower and build skills and capabilities within the netball landscape,” Tucker-Munro explained.
“What we're trying to do is work in partnership with our member organisations at the state and territory level, but also work with the community, because that's what this is about.
“It's got to be able to be adapted and agile to meet the needs of each respective First Nations community across Australia.”
Participants from across Victoria came together at the Constellation Cup match in Melbourne.
THE GAP IN THE SYSTEM
A research project led by Associate Professor Andrew Bennie from Western Sydney University, and co-founder of Coaching Unlimited, identified a gap in the netball pathways system.
Bennie spoke to the importance of developing greater pathways opportunities for First Nations participants.
“We had the chance to speak to 30 coaches around the country,” Bennie said.
“One of the things they shared was that there's an absence of pathways into coaching.
“There's plenty of coaches out there already volunteering their time, working with young kids, adults, mentoring young people, being the role model, creating that safe environment for them to play sport in.
“It's about putting them into the system so that they can take whatever opportunity comes next as a result of being accredited.”
From there, the possibilities are endless.
Rumbalara FNC coach and program participant Jessie Barnes identified the same opportunity within First Nations communities, explaining the crucial importance of having First Nations administrators throughout all stages of the grassroots.
“One of the key reasons why you see a lack of our girls representing in elite levels of netball is the lack of coaches. They've got to feel safe in these environments,” Barnes explained.
“If you haven't got netball coaches or First Nations administrators, there's not safety in those pathways for our girls to go through and achieve.
“I can’t help our young ones be better and achieve their netball dreams if I'm not equipped to help them do that. I can build my knowledge to help their knowledge and take it back to community.”
Ali Tucker-Munro presented to a group of young netballers.CULTURAL SAFETY
Most importantly, the development of these programs helps to promote culturally safe spaces for young First Nations participants to successfully progress through the pathways.
Tucker-Munro recalls the cultural safety she felt as a junior netballer progressing through the pathways.
“One of my earliest memories is at eight years of age, my mum taking me to my first netball training session,” she explained.
“My coach at the time was an amazing Maori woman, a First Nations sister from across the ditch, and my mum automatically felt really safe and comfortable leaving me in the hands of a First Nations sister.”
Tucker-Munro wants to empower caregivers and pathways talent alike to feel comfortable in netball environments.
“Whether it's mum, dad, nan, aunty, whoever the caregiver is of our netball child, when they rock up at training and they see an Aboriginal coach there, they feel really comfortable and confident leaving that child there, knowing they're in a good, culturally safe pair of hands,” she said.
“For us it's already hard. If we have the coaches in, it's the first big step because that creates a culturally safe space for the young girls to come up and not feel so alone, and that’s such a big thing as an Aboriginal person is feeling alone and feeling shame.”
Fitzroy Stars coach Brigitte Linares agreed.
“From when I grew up there was always a shame barrier, and that's one thing I've taken with me for a long time,” Linares said.
“I don't want them to feel shame to have conversations with coaches, because that actually stops them from going to a high level of playing netball.”
While Tucker-Munro progressed through the pathway, far too many have slipped through the cracks.
“We haven't done enough, and I've been at the receiving end of that as a past player. I see it now as a pathway coach in the system of netball and it’s really important to recognise that there's so much untapped talent in our community,” Tucker-Munro said.
“Australia wants to continue to be world number one, the world’s coming for us.
“We need to make sure we start to investigate untapped communities such as First Nations community to find that Diamond in the rough.
“Because trust me, they're out there.”
