The NSW Swifts are charging full speed ahead into their pre-season training for the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball series, with a strong focus on fitness, skill development, and proper nutrition. Among the team’s preparation is the Swifts' very own player-nutritionist, who is taking the lead in ensuring the players are fueling their bodies in the right way.
“When we go from not training as much after the holiday break to back into training, just making sure we're consuming enough to help us perform and get our muscle gains is very important,” 25-year-old Teigan O’Shannassy said.
As a fully-qualified nutritionist, O’Shannassy is passionate about healthy eating and promoting recipes that are easy to make, and ideal for netballers of all ages looking to refuel in the right way.
“Pre-season is a time to tune into your body – to think about what worked during the previous season and what didn’t. I like to use this time to dabble in a few different things, like different pre-game meals,” she explained.
"Nutrition is very much individual - fueling can be different for everyone so finding what foods sit well for you and what works for you might not work for someone else.”
With a tailored approach to healthy eating, the team is set to take on the upcoming season stronger, faster, and more energized than ever before.
The NSW Swifts Goal Keeper and Defender shared her pre-training routine:
“I usually have my coffee on the way out to training. And then about 7:30am I have crumpets - I'm a big fan of crumpets. I do a bit of peanut butter and honey. And then depending on when we're about to start training, I'll usually have a few dates – they’re just super, super quick-releasing carbs, so it doesn’t take long to digest.”
Throughout the intense training sessions, O’Shannassy ensures that the players are replenishing energy stores properly. “We usually go from court work to the gym, with a half-hour break, so a lot of us have an Up and Go or some muesli bars - something quick after a big, two-hour session on court. We need to replenish our energy before we hit the gym.”
After training, O’Shannassy emphasizes the importance of immediate post-workout refueling.
“Post-training, we try to get protein in straight away. A protein shake works well. I also make sure I bring lunch – the other day, I had a bowl with rice, roast veggies, tofu as my protein source, and a bit of tzatziki.”
With her knowledge as both a professional athlete and nutritionist, O’Shannassy plays a key role in guiding her teammates to fuel their bodies correctly before, during, and after their training sessions to maximize their performance.
“The biggest thing is fueling before and after training – that’s where we’re going to get our most gains,” O’Shannassy said, making it clear that smart nutrition is an important element to the Swifts’ success in the 2025 season.
