Moore making the most of it

By Matt Fotia 

Emily Moore had decided enough was enough. 

After countless late night training sessions, rushed weekday dinners, juggled priorities and racking up bills for petrol and strapping tape, the versatile shooter made the call to step away from the rigours of semi-professional netball to concentrate on her off-court career. 

Moore, at the time, was content with what she had achieved on-court. 

“I’d come through the Sydney pathway and had been working full time while playing NSW Premier League and training with the GIANTS academy,” Moore said. 

“At the semi-elite level your training is always at night, so I worked 9-5 before I would race off to training every night and I just got to the age where it was time for me to decide to keep playing netball at the semi-elite level or focus on my career. 

“I’d won a couple of Premier League titles, I played ANC, I had ticked plenty of boxes in the netball space and was content with where I was. 

“I felt like I had accomplished everything I had wanted to accomplish.” 

No one could blame her.  

It’s not like there are spots aplenty in the SSN. 

But life is funny. Just when you stop looking for something, it comes looking for you. 

“I didn’t really have much of a plan,” Moore said. 

“I was two months into enjoying ‘retirement’ and I received a call from the Firebirds confirming Gretel (Bueta) was pregnant, and they wanted a handful of players to come and train with the squad. 

“It was a strange moment, because 99 times out of 100 you’re saying yes straight away, but I’d just come to the terms with the fact I wasn’t going to pursue netball anymore. 

“At the end of the day an opportunity like that doesn’t come around very often. 

“I’d played netball since I was 7 with the dream of playing professionally, so I called them back the next day and took them up on the offer and haven’t looked back since.” 

After years of working netball into her schedule like the final piece of an enormous puzzle, Moore has finally been able to fit things in around netball all while getting paid to do it. 

At first, it took some getting used to. 

“One of the biggest things that changed for me was training being in the morning,” Moore said. 

“When I was working full time and training at night, I would come home at around 9-10pm and have to eat, shower and get to bed. 

“Being able to train as your first priority in the morning you can really get a lot more out of yourself and then use the rest of the day to focus on the little things that matter like fuelling yourself, recovering well, video analysis and all those bits and pieces which happen behind the scenes.” 

The Firebirds initial offer was a six-week trial period, so Moore took some annual leave and headed north. When the trial became a contract, she was left with no choice but to part ways with her Sydney employer. 

A high achiever, Moore was quick to re-join the work force and is currently Sports Co-ordinator at St Peters Lutheran College. 

“Everybody is different, but for me I need to have something else,” Moore explained. 

“I’m a busy body who gets bored easily, so I like to have something else to do, and the nature of our sport allows us to pursue other avenues. 

“Having worked full time I know the life lessons you can get from those environments and now I feel I have a skillset which compliments both my roles.” 

Moore acknowledges everybody is built differently and says the up and comers on the Firebirds list are blessed to have a wide range of experienced voices in their locker room. 

“The nature of playing a team sport is there is always changeroom talk and I think the great thing for our younger squad members is there are 10 other people in the room who can give you advice,” Moore said. 

“My advice would be different to the person next to me.  

“Some people will say it’s important to have something else to keep you busy and others will recommend in your first couple of years to just get your mind around what’s happening at netball and dive into something later. 

“There’s no right or wrong, it all depends on the individual.” 

It’s an exciting time to be a Firebird.  

With a new coach, a new outlook, and some new players there is a sense the sleeping giant may be about to wake from its almost 10-year slumber. 

Moore will form an attacking trio with the returning Tippah Dwan and Ugandan shooter Mary Cholhok, a proposition she is keenly anticipating, whether it be as a starter or as an impact sub. 

“The vibes are really great,” Moore stated. 

“The game has changed and players across the league are getting stronger and fitter, so to compete and being playing finals netball, we have to be confident our bodies are up to the challenge. 

“I’m excited to work with Tippah again and work with Mary, who is going to be a huge threat for the rest of the competition. 

“I’ve been around netball for a very long time and in the elite system for a couple of years, so I totally understand how team sport works. 

“My focus always will be team first, so if my role is to be an impact player or a sixty-minute player, it doesn’t matter. 

“I’m always ready to take any chance with two hands. 

“If an opportunity comes this year to make an impact, whether it be in one game or across all games, I will absolutely jump at it. 

“You don’t have a long time in elite sport, so you just want to enjoy it and make the most of every day.”