By Sophie Taylor
A lot can change in 18 months.
Some experience that more than others, none more so than goal shooter Sophie Garbin.
After a huge year on the court, Garbin walked away from the 2024 Australian Netball Awards with Australian netball’s most coveted award, the Liz Ellis Diamond.
She scored 517 goals in her debut season at the Melbourne Vixens, backing that up with strong performances on the international stage – notably claiming the starting goal shooter bib to pile on an additional 306 goals.
While Garbin appeared surprised to receive the award, it came as no surprise to onlookers who remarked on her consistency through 2024.
“It was a bit surreal walking up on the stage and seeing Liz Ellis there to present it to me,” Garbin said.
She remarked that the award could have gone to any number of players.
“As much as it's nice to get this individual accolade, the best thing about netball is that we play as a team,” she said.
“There are so many players deserving of this, but I’m incredibly honoured and it’s definitely something I'll reflect on.”
Garbin’s fortunes have changed significantly since the middle of 2023, when she and the rest of the former Collingwood Magpies squad were informed the club would be disbanded.
“It's been crazy to think that 12 or so months ago, I was here at Collingwood being told that we didn't have a position here, and then I find myself at the Vixens,” Garbin explained.
“I like to see myself as a pretty optimistic person, and even when I got told that Collingwood was no longer, I was still pretty optimistic and excited about the potential of what could be.”
Garbin’s time at the Vixens has been revelatory, seeing the smooth mover assume a starting goal shooter role for the first time.
She expressed her gratitude to the squad for welcoming her in, and most importantly allowing her to be herself in the new environment.
“I'm so grateful for that opportunity and for Simone (McKinnis, Vixens head coach) and Di (Honey, Vixens assistant coach) and the rest of the team for taking me in, really enabling me and making me the best player that I can be and to then go and put that into the Diamonds environment,” Garbin said.
“A lot of other players bring the best out in me.”
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Garbin, but she believes the elevation of her game has come from continuous hard work.
Not just physically, but mentally, too.
“To get to where I am now, I wish I was told that that it doesn't happen overnight,” she expressed.
“I can see so much growth over my whole career, it doesn’t come down to one moment or one person, or one coach or team.”
