At the very start of the holidays, 14 talent-packed netballers from our Premier and Premier Reserve teams traded the winter chill for the rainbows of Sunshine Coast, Australia. The mission? A high-performance training tour designed to build team chemistry and unity ahead of their upcoming UNISS campaign and beyond.
Our athletes represented St Peter’s with absolute pride, soaking up invaluable wisdom from some of the biggest names in world netball. The team was privileged to learn from former Australian Diamond Stephanie Fretwell (née Wood), Silver Ferns legend Laura Langman, and elite coach Kiri Wills. These netball icons delivered masterclasses in court strategy, fine-tuned position-specific skills, and threw the girls into intense, eye-opening game simulations.
Thanks to the incredible facilities at the Sunshine Coast Recreation Precinct, our home base doubled as our training HQ. The team went head-to-head in a competitive match against members of the University of Sunshine Coast Netball Squad, and shared the court for a fun, fast-paced mixed fixture with local players from Laura Langman’s NetFit programme.
Away from the courts, the tour was an unforgettable bonding experience. The girls immersed themselves in Aussie culture—which naturally included dodging around the local "Bin Chickens" (Ibis birds). From the vibrant atmosphere of the Kawana Night Markets and scenic coastal walks along Currimundi and Mooloolaba, to a thrilling day out seeing the Irwins in action at Australia Zoo, the energy was unmatched. Evenings often wrapped up with bonding over bowls of Yochi frozen yogurt. Spending this quality time together allowed players across different teams and year levels to truly connect, learn how to support one another in new environments, and build friendships that will last long after the season ends.
A massive thank you goes out to the Sunshine Coast Recreation Precinct staff, and the incredible coaches, school staff, and parents, whose tireless work behind the scenes made this dream tour a reality. With the success of this trip, we are already excited to plan future Netball excursions to keep developing the St. Peter’s Netball Programme.
The Tour Squad
- Students Involved: Olivia Burke, Lily Hankinson, Katie Hepi-Hagan, Stella Isbister, Nolah Kiri, Samantha Longdill, Lila Mahoney, Ruby Martin, Stella Muir, Gloryah Qaranivalu, Hayley Sherwin, Imogen Suttie, Zara Terry, Zoe Verhoeven.
- Touring Staff: Amigene Metcalfe (Director of Netball, Assistant Coach Premier Team), Melissa Fotu (Head Coach Premier Team), Sam Voss (Netball Convenor, Tour Umpire).