The NSW Swifts are delighted to unveil the Club’s revamped Heritage Dress which will be worn in the Round 10 Suncorp Super Netball clash with the Collingwood Magpies at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday 21 May.
The annual Heritage Round, which the Swifts started in 2021 to celebrate their 25th Anniversary, will again see the seven-time Premiers revert to their original yellow uniform which the team wore between 1997 and 2007 when they were known as the Sydney Swifts.
While the colour-palate remains the same, the new design incorporates the iconic "Swifts Swirls" pattern which was synonymous with the Club from 2001 to 2007, a period in which four Premierships were won.
Head coach Briony Akle was a double Premiership winner with the Club as a player in 2001 and 2004, and said the design was a wonderful throwback to one of the Swifts’ golden periods.
As well as titles in 2001 and 2004, the Swifts claimed a yet-to-be matched threepeat between 2006 and 2008, although the latter was won as the rebranded NSW Swifts.
Paige Hadley and Maddy Turner model the Swifts' revamped Heritage Dress. Picture: Narelle Spangher“I think we all look back fondly at the bodysuits and swirls because they conjure up great memories of Premiership wins in Sydney Olympic Park,” Akle said.
“Today’s A-line dresses are probably more in-keeping with the modern game, but I love how the swirls have been incorporated into our 2023 Heritage kit.
“When you come to a Swifts game you are hit by history when you walk into the stadium, and we could also have some very special milestones to celebrate at this year’s Heritage Round so this will be a fitting dress to play in.
“The Heritage Dress means a huge amount to everyone at our Club and those who’ve been a part of it down the years.
“The Swifts of the past and the players and staff from other Foundation Clubs built the world-class competition we have today, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.”
NSW Swifts Executive General Manager Kath Tetley said teaching the next generation of netball fans about the pioneers of the past was a key part of the Club’s Heritage project.
“The Swifts are very lucky to be a Foundation Club of our National League and it is a point of difference that allows us to rightly celebrate those who put the game where it is today,” she said.
“We’d love to see our fans who’ve been with us since the 1990’s dust off their yellow Swifts gear, and those who’ve been more recent to get their specially created heritage shirt at our Merchandise stands.”
LOOK THE PART
- The 2023 NSW Swifts Heritage Training Top is now available from Valour Sport and can be purchased HERE.
