Mi Mi on her mentality shift

By Stephanie Smarrelli

“What have I done wrong?”  

Those were the first words that sprung to the mind of 23-year-old Leesa Mi Mi when her phone started ringing with a call from Origin Diamonds head coach Stacey Marinkovich.  

The youngster was on a hike with Sunshine Coast Lightning teammates Tara Hinchliffe and Maddie Hinchliffe when the call came through. 

“My mind always goes to the worst place,” Mi Mi said. 

“Maddie and Tara encouraged me to call her back straight away and then I got the news I’d made the Fast5 team.” 

While excited to be in the team, Mi Mi confessed her knowledge of Fast5 was a little murky and recalled turning to the Hinchliffe sisters for answers. 

“‘Can I shoot?’ I asked them. I thought I could shoot and would have to practice it,” Mi Mi laughed.  

“I’m glad I didn’t ask Stacey. I would’ve looked like I’d absolutely lost my marbles.”  

Having brushed up on her Fast5 knowledge since then, Mi Mi is ready to make an impact at the Fast5 Netball World Series. 

“We have to be impact players,” she said. 

“Instead of playing a good consistent 60 minutes you've got to play a great two minutes each quarter. 

"I’m going into it ready to run my legs off." 
 

FAMILY TIES 

From an early age, netball was a family affair for Mi Mi.  

“Growing up I watched my mum and sisters play netball,” she said. 

“It's where my drive to play came from watching them have fun.”  

Her desire to continue to play netball grew stronger as she watched from the stands as her older sister Jemma Seymour’s (nee Mi Mi) netball career took flight. 

Seymour was a Queensland Firebird from 2016 to 2022, with her elite career coming to a halt with the Firebirds not signing her on again for 2023. 

“Watching Jemma thrive in the environment made my pathway towards SSN a little easier,” Mi Mi said. 

“Seeing Jemma come through the ranks, all the do’s and don'ts from her career made it easier for me.”  

With five years separating the two sisters, they rarely got the opportunity to play alongside each other but the one time they did stands out to Mi Mi. 

"I was an invitee for a Spirit Cup, to be able to play with her on the court was really fun,” she said. 

"I’ll never forgot those moments playing with my sister." 

The connections Mi Mi made through her sister’s elite career have stuck with her as she now takes to the court alongside some of her sister’s former teammates. 

“I always tell Mahalia I was at her training sessions, the little 10-year-old watching,” Mi Mi laughed. 

“And Mahalia jokes back: ‘yeah I remember, you were the little weirdo sister who always came to training.’” 

While cherishing the connection she has with her sister, Mi Mi is determined to make a name for herself. 

“We shared the same last name, but I want to make my own identity,” she said. 
 

LIGHTNING LIFE 

Mi Mi spent her first season at the Sunshine Coast Lightning in 2024, an opportunity which came to her at the expense of former teammate Macy Gardner. 

Gardner broke her wrist during the 2023 season, giving an opportunity to Mi Mi who was a training partner with the Firebirds at the time. 

"I debuted for the Firebirds over in WA against Fever, everyone says you remember your debut game I'll never forget it,” she said. 

“Then Macy hurt her wrist which gave me the opportunity to replace her in the back half of the season.” 

After the season had wrapped, Mi Mi received news from Lightning head coach Belinda Reynolds there was a contracted spot for her on the Sunny Coast. 
 
But Mi Mi wasn’t able to celebrate immediately, with the CPA negotiations creating an uncertain environment. 

“I got the call during the CPA period, all I had was B’s word,” she said. 

“We didn’t know if the season was going to go ahead, it wasn't a happy moment, but it was nice. 

“I was over at Jemma’s, sitting in her nursery on the rocking chair listening to B, it was all uncertain, the opportunity was great, but I didn’t know what was next.” 

Mi Mi remembers walking back out to Jemma’s living room and being supported by her sister. 
 
“She said to me: ‘you need to be happy and excited’, but it wasn’t hitting in the moment, I didn’t know if it was true or not, but it was a good feeling despite the very uncertain emotions,” Mi Mi said. 

Those feelings of uncertainty instantly disappeared once she settled into life on the Sunshine Coast. 

“When I came up to the Sunny Coast, got settled and interviewed with B and the support staff it felt more realistic and fun once we started training together,” she said. 

Mi Mi has built a close relationship with her teammates over the past year. 

“We love each other's company,” she said. 

“I had connections before moving up to the Sunny Coast, I had played with Charlie and some of the training partners throughout junior netball and then Jemma played with some of the girls in the team. 

"They welcomed me with open arms and took me under their wing.” 

One of Mi Mi’s favourite players to watch is teammate Liz Watson. 

“Being near her for 12 months has made me love her even more,” she said. 

But it was former Firebirds teammate Gabi Simpson who has left a lasting impact on the youngster.  

“I was lucky to have Gabi in my environment last year, she made me the athlete I am today,” she said. 

“My first training session last year I was next to Gabi and she's quick off the mark I said: ‘oh no I’m next to Gabi, I’m not going to win.’ 

“And she corrected me and said: ‘you're going to win, your mindset should be you’re going to beat me’ and I said: ‘okay, I'll try’ and she said ‘no, say you will beat me.’  

"Ever since that conversation I have this more competitive mindset which has made my work rate and effort go up.” 
 
There’s one memory of hard work paying off which stands out in Mi Mi’s mind, the Lightning’s Round 6 win against the Vixens following their extra time defeat to the GIANTS. 

“We were all pretty down during the week, but we got fire in our belly ahead of playing the Vixens who were on top of the table,” she said. 

“It was on my birthday, we played a cracking game and beat Vixens by seven. 

 "We had that feeling of ‘we can’, we had such high expectations with the players in our team and didn't have a great start to the season to have the win after a couple of losses changed our mentality.”  

 
LIFE’S CHALLENGES 

With another season with the Lightning on the horizon, Mi Mi is laser focused on becoming the best player she can possibly be. 

“The goal is always to reach the top level, to be able to play in the Origin Diamonds and have a Diamonds number would be great,” she said. 

“Outside of netball, I want to finish my degree, I'm doing a Bachelor of Education to finish will give me an option for when I want to stop playing netball. 

 “Having a nice smooth transition out of sport is always the hardest challenge as a sports person.” 

Another challenge Mi Mi has at times struggled with is being seen as a role model, particularly for First Nations athletes. 

Mi Mi hails from the Wakka Wakka mob and is one of a handful of First Nations athletes to have played Suncorp Super Netball. 

“There is pressure, Jemma and I had a pretty regular life and coming into our netball careers having girls from the community looking up to us and saying: ‘we can make it one day cause they are there’ is tough because we weren't facing some of the barriers they are,” she said. 

"Trying to relate is quite hard and I feel bad, because I can't relate to some of the girls who are from more rural communities. On the Sunny Coast we have Aunties and people from the council who come talk and give us great insight into what it is like to be out in a rural community and its great exposure for all the girls on the team.  

“Jemma and I were very privileged growing up and didn't really have any barriers in our netball career so now seeing things like the First Nations tournament breaking down those barriers for the First Nations athletes affected by them is great to see, there is now exposure for those girls in rural communities.”  

Being comfortable with being recognised in general is something Mi Mi is still getting used to as well. 

"Dealing with the expectations of people and knowing kids are going to be looking up to you as their role model is a challenge,” she said. 

“I’m flattered and really appreciate it, but I don't see myself as a role model, I see myself as a person who plays sport.”