Premium Content
Subscriber only PREPARING for Friday night s new netball challenge, Ipswich head coach Lailee Smith had to deal with some setbacks. She was trying to finalise an Ipswich Flyers team comprising under-19 and under-17 players for the restructured Greater Brisbane Netball League (GBNL) series. With no senior Flyers team this senior, the hope was Ipswich could field a development side featuring the region s most exciting youth. However, the under-17 team has only just come together with some under-19 players withdrawing due to study and other commitments. Waiting for confirmation who the Flyers play at Nissan Arena on Friday night, head coach Smith is adopting a positive approach for the new GBNL competition.
Premium Content
Subscriber only FOUR valuable newcomers, a core of returning experience and added motivation having made last year s grand final. The USQ Ipswich Jets are focused on success preparing to launch their 2021 Hart Sapphire Series campaign against the Bull Sharks at Morayfield on Sunday. Having been head coach since the Jets were formed in 2019, Tracey Jeanes-Fraser has high expectations in Queensland s premier netball competition. It s feeling like it s a progression for us and we are very confident that we will be in that grand final again this year as long as we are ticking all those boxes and prepared to extend ourselves both as coaches and as well as athletes, she said.
Premium Content
Subscriber only AS excitement builds about the return of Ipswich netball competition, a proverbial master is ready to give her apprentice a chance to shine. When one of Ipswich s most successful administrators was approached by an energetic successor, she knew it was time to stand aside. Gail Lyne has devoted more than 50 years to the sport, including 24 as Ipswich Netball Association (INA) president. Lyne was fittingly recognised with a Service to Sport accolade at the 2017 Queensland Sports Awards. However, when Nicole Virtue offered to lead the 10-member management committee, Lyne happily stood down at the recent AGM. Having worked in various roles with Virtue for 11 years, Lyne was delighted to be making a 2021 leadership changeover.
Premium Content
Subscriber only NEWLY-appointed Ipswich Netball Association (INA) president Nicole Virtue enjoys travelling, going to music concerts and attending musicals. But having strong family ties to the sport, she has a special affection for the game. I feel like netball is my child, she said. Virtue has been playing netball since she was 11, starting out in Alice Springs. With her father working in the RAAF and her mum and sisters keen netballers, she has also played at club and representative level in centres like Canberra. She also spent some time in Sydney where her husband Glen worked as a diesel fitter.