Resilience key for NSW midcourter

By Sophie Taylor

“I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to quit the sport.”

For proud Biripi woman Courtney Jones those thoughts nearly hindered her journey to national selection.

The fleet-footed midcourter hasn’t always felt supported throughout the pathways, with selection setbacks and challenges over the years.

"I wasn’t even going to play netball this year, to be honest,” Jones said.

“I kind of got to the point where I felt like I wasn’t getting anywhere with netball, just staying in the same spot.

“But having this opportunity kind of brought back the fire with netball, this reignited that spark just to keep going.”

That spark came to life after a phone call with First Nations Black Swans coach and Netball Australia First Nations Engagement Lead, Ali Tucker-Munro.

“I got the phone call from Ali saying that she would love to have me in the side,” Jones said.

“I forgot about it, to be honest, so when I got the phone call I was over the moon!”

Participating at the 2024 Pacific Netball Series, the Black Swans team is a new venture, and something Jones says is an important pathway for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players to work towards.

“The mainstream pathway isn't doing it for us girls, so having opportunities like this to show what we've got, that we can keep up with everyone and we do have the skill and the capabilities to perform well,” Jones said.

“We just need to be given the opportunity in this space.”

For Jones, this opportunity means more than just taking the court at a new level.

“There's something special about representing our people, where you're from,” Jones explained.

“There’s so many times I wanted to quit the sport, but I think it always comes back to the reason why you want to play and for me, I want to make a difference.

“That's what's been instilled in me from when I started making all these representative teams is that you know, I've got my little cousins, I've got my community, I've got family everywhere watching and it's just to be that good female role model in their lives.

“That's what I'm grateful for, just to have that opportunity to give back in that way.”

Jones says that meaningful initiatives such as the Black Swans team are exciting but need to continue the support year on year to ensure the progression of young First Nations talent.

“This is a big step, having a team like this for young girls to work towards,” Jones began.

“I’ve found a lot of the girls in my time got to a certain point, and it was easy for them to give up… to try another sport because in netball there wasn't much of a pathway for us.”

She also touched on the importance of highlighting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players who do progress through to the top level.

“It’s very exciting to see some more First Nations players in the Suncorp Super Netball,” Jones said.

“It’s big exposure for especially our young ones - we can't be what we can't see - and for many for a long time, we've hardly seen any First Nations at all.”

With players such as Donnell Wallam and Leesa Mi Mi currently flying the flag in the SSN, Jones professed the importance of not losing young players in the sport before they reach their full potential.

“It's huge to see those players in the high leagues and for our young ones to see that, you know, if they can do it, I can do it. Then we won't lose them in the sport,” Jones explained.

“They're up there, so that means that we can do it. It's as simple as that, I think.”

Jones is excited for the challenge each opposition country will bring during the Pacific Netball Series.

“Every country brings their own style of netball to the court, so I'm excited to play against the different styles that each country will bring,” Jones said.

“I'm also excited to see what our style is, because it's the first time we've got a First Nations team playing at this level.

“I know from playing with a few girls that are in the team as well we’ve got a different flair to what you'd consider “mainstream” netball, so I’m excited to get a full team of us girls together and see what we've got.”

Jones’ own style of play is an amalgamation of many players’ styles, with the smooth-moving midcourter professing she loved to watch the smarts of Kim Green and the flair of Cat Tuivaiti.

“The real '"ooh, aah" kind of stuff, those are the players that really stand out to me and that's how I used to try to be like,” Jones explained.

“I love the no-look passes, the real tricky stuff. I think because myself as a player, I play with a bit of flair… chuck a few flick passes!”

Despite past challenges, Jones is readying for the Pacific Netball Series with newfound excitement for the sport and her parents by her side.

“Both my mum and my dad (inspire me) in different ways,” Jones said.

“Mum's always been my backbone with netball, she's driven me everywhere I had to go and you know, I wouldn't be in any sort of point without those two in my life. They're huge.”

While things haven’t always gone the way Jones has anticipated, she says her dad’s sporting background has helped her come through the other side.

“Dad was a very tricky football player… from an athlete's point he's helped me a lot, coming from his journey,” Jones said.

“He’s always spoken to me from an athlete's point of view. You know, ‘take your time it'll happen when it happens’.”

The Pacific Netball Series will take place at Nissan Arena between June 10-15.