Netball Australia and Netball NSW are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Margaret Corbett OAM, a stalwart of our game at international, national, state and community levels.
A Netball NSW Hall of Fame Inductee (2006), who was bestowed with Legend Status in 2019 – the organisation’s highest honour – Margaret made an immense contribution to the sport over the course of her life.
A champion of the Sutherland Shire Netball Association, Margaret played a number of different roles within the netball community, including, but not limited to:
- NSW Selector (20 years)
- NSW Convenor (12 years)
- NSW Coaching Director (20 years)
- NSW State Coach (20 years)
- NSWIS Head Coach (6 years)
- National League Coach (Sydney Sandpipers 1997 – 2000)
- Australian underage Selector (14 years).
- Commonwealth Games Head Coach
- Fiji Head Coach
As well as being a hugely respected coach, she was also a fantastic educator.
Margaret was instrumental in the development of level one, two and three coaching courses. In 1984 she was appointed Esso Director of Coaching and made a significant contribution to her craft both on and off the court for Netball NSW.
During her period as NSW State Opens Coach, NSW won the coveted Golden Boot in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993 – an achievement never attained by any other State Coach.
Margaret developed many players to international standard, and has provided guidance and expertise to many NSW teams and officials. Her dedication to the sport saw her travel across the nation and internationally conducting camps, coaching players and providing school clinics.
She was a huge advocate behind getting netball included in the Commonwealth Games and led the Australians in the sport's first appearance as an exhibition in 1990.
It was said of Margaret that “nothing dimmed her dedication to her task, shook her optimism that the best was still to come, nor impaired her capacity to inspire the respect and support of her players”.
In 2013 Margaret was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday honours list for services to netball while in 2020 she was name Cronulla Woman of the Year in the lead up to that year’s International Women’s Day.
Margaret Corbett’s name will always be associated with some of the greatest successes achieved by netball in this state.
Netball NSW extends its sincere sympathies to Margaret’s family at this time and extend those to the many friends she made in netball over 60-plus years of service.
Awards:
- 1976 Awarded the Inaugural Anne Clark BEM outstanding service award
- 1982 Awarded Life Membership New South Wales Netball Association
- 2000 Australian Sports Medal
- 2001 Centenary Medal
- 2001 Netball Australia Service Award
- OAM Queen's Birthday Honours 2013
- Elevated to NNSW Legend Status Hall of Fame 2019 admitted to Hall of Fame 2006.
- 2020 Cronulla Woman of the Year awarded by The Hon Mark Speakman SC MP.
- 2024 awarded Life Membership Illawarra Academy of Sport
Service History:
- NSW Umpire Convenor 1969-1971
- NSW Junior Vice-President 1972-1974
- NSW Coaching Co-Ordinator 1975-1980
- NSW Director Coaching 1980-2000
- NSW Convenor Inter-District Competition 1971
- NSW Junior State Coach 1974-1979
- NSW State Coach 1980-1999 - National Titles 1984-1985, 1987-1993
- NSWIS Head Coach, NSWIS Regional Coach
- Head Coach Illawarra Academy of Sport
- Head Coach Sydney Sandpipers 1997-2000
- Member NA Coaching Development Committee
- Member NA Coaching Review Panel
- National Underage Selector
- Head Coach Commonwealth Games
- Head Coach Fiji
