Netball Australia is pleased to announce the addition of former Australian Diamond Mo’onia Gerrard to the Netball Australia Board.
An experienced athlete, coach and mentor, Gerrard will take on the position of Athlete Director.
The new role, established under recommendations from the 2020 State of the Game Review, will contribute to Netball Australia’s ongoing stakeholder engagement and advise on overarching strategies for the growth of the game.
Netball Australia Chair Wendy Archer AM said she was thrilled to welcome Gerrard to the Board.
“Mo’onia is a valuable addition to the Netball Australia Board, who will provide meaningful insight given her extensive experience in the sport,” Archer said.
“Her expertise in the netball high performance landscape, as well as her commitment to better the sport and leadership experience, will be a large attribute in terms of strategy across the next year which is full of milestone moments.”
Gerrard’s professional playing career spanned 14 seasons across the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and ANZ Championship league, including time with the Sydney Sandpipers, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Sydney/NSW Swifts in which she experienced four championships.
On the international stage, Gerrard amassed 68 tests for Australia, competing in two Netball World Cups, placing silver at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, and receiving esteemed accolades of Australian International Player of the Year award and the Liz Ellis Diamond.
“As Athlete Director, I look forward to using my experience to work closely with key stakeholders to ensure that all elite athletes in the game are provided with an environment that offers opportunities for growth and support,” Gerrard said in response to her appointment.
“I love the sport, I love the game, and I want to be a part of showcasing it.”
The first Diamond from a Pacific background, Gerrard has also been heavily involved in aiding the Tongan netball community through the mentorship of coaches and athletes, as well as founding the Mo’onia Cup tournament in 2009 that still runs in Tonga today.
“The whole reason for the event in Tonga was to get Pacific women and girls to know that they can, on top of family life, be active and feel improvement in their self.
“Having a Tongan heritage living in Australia, and being a former Diamond, I feel I can bring this lens to conversations and we can keep things moving,” she said.
“I want to see every country that plays strengthen their roots, strengthen their administration and hopefully push the top tier teams to an area where the game explodes.”
Netball Australia also farewells Michael Thomson whose time as Director on the Board concludes. Thomson joined the Board in 2021 after prior time on the Suncorp Super Netball Commission. Thomson has chosen not to seek reappointment.
“We would like to acknowledge the contributions and strong leadership of Michael from his last two years as a member on the Netball Australia Board,” Archer said.
