Government Funding Drives Excellence in Western Australian Netball Pathways

Netball WA has announced a funding from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) has successfully established a new high-performance framework for the state’s emerging talent.

The initiative, which commenced in May 2025, has formalised a two-year development program designed to bridge the gap between grassroots competition and the elite Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) environment.

The new High Performance Pathway provides athletes within the West Coast Fever Reserves and West Coast Fever Futures squads with unprecedented access to professional coaching, education, and off-court support services.

Centred at the Gold Netball Centre, the program allows developing players to train alongside contracted SSN athletes, fostering a “full-time” club culture that has already yielded tangible competitive results.

Noting that the shared facility model is a mechanical necessity for rapid athlete maturationm, general manager of Performance and Pathway, Sara Francis-Bayman, said: “The opportunity for players to train side-by-side in a club environment, using the same facilities and support staff fast tracks their development and strengthens our WA Talent Pathway.” 

Immediate Competitive Impact

The program’s effectiveness was evidenced by the West Coast Fever Reserves’ premiership victory in July 2025.

As the 2026 Super Netball Reserves season commences this week, officials report that athletes are better prepared than ever after being immersed in a high-performance environment since November.

Highlighting the program’s influence on national representation, Fever Reserves coach, Guy Keane, added: “The program was also a catalyst for another impressive performance by Western Australia at the National Netball Championships.” 

The state’s 17/Under team secured a fourth-place finish, with nine athletes subsequently selected for National Pathway Programs—a year-on-year increase for the state.

2026 National Selections

The success of the pathway is further reflected in the recent selection of nine West Australian athletes into Australian representative squads:

• 2026 Australian 17/Under Squad: Bianca Brennan, Sienna Gortat, Amelie Markovic, Skyla Payne, Zoe Trezise, and Loyola Vaauli.
• 2026 Australian 19/Under Squad: Ava Buselich, Lily Knight, and Emily Rivers.

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