The NSW Swifts are proud to announce the athletes selected for the QBE Swifts Academy program which will underpin the senior high-performance setup in 2025.
Under the mentorship of foundation Head Coach Lenore Blades, who will take the reins again next year, the pathway has already produced a number of Premiership-winning Swifts, while current attacker Sophie Fawns and four Training Partners are all graduates of the program.
Launched in late 2019 with the backing of Netball NSW and Swifts Principal Partner QBE Insurance, the Academy looks to strengthen the foundations of Australian netball's most decorated elite club by providing further pathway opportunities to aspiring players.
It provides a daily training environment for athletes in Netball NSW pathways and competitions who have the potential to play for the Swifts in the future.
Blades congratulated each of the individuals selected.
“We had a huge amount of talent to choose from so each player should be very proud of what they have achieved by earning selection,” she said.
“Since the Academy was introduced, it has been a real pleasure to see the likes of Tayla Fraser, Sophie Fawns, Lili Gorman-Brown and Grace Whyte play at Suncorp Super Netball level and I know we will see some of this group make the grade in the future.
“The SN Reserves competition has helped us elevate the athlete experience to the next level as they got a genuine insight into the home-and-away, and week-in and week-out nature of playing at the top.
“The athletes we’ve selected are among the very best in the NSW talent pathway and all of the Club is very excited to see what they can do on this next step of their respective journeys.
“I would like to acknowledge the Netball NSW Pathways team and the Netball NSW Premier League franchises for their efforts which have allowed us such a brilliant talent pool to pick from.”
The Swifts would like to once again thank QBE Insurance for their continued support of the Academy and the next generation of netball stars.
2025 QBE SWIFTS ACADEMY ATHLETES
- Courtney Castle (Liverpool City)
- Brooke Paterson (Randwick)
- Nicola Barge (Sutherland Shire)
- Lauren Woods (Blacktown City)
- Jemma Donoghue (Northern Suburbs)
- Mia Baggett (Bathurst)
- Nevaeh Matenga (Liverpool City)
- Sophia Martinussen (Tuggeranong, ACT)
- Georgie Cottle (Randwick)
- Isabella Degei (Penrith District)
