On Saturday, the Australian 21/U Squad arrived in Suva to compete in the Rising Stars: Fiji 21/U Tour, a friendly tournament against Fiji, New Zealand and Singapore. The 24-strong squad, consisting of emerging athletes from across the country will be led by 21/U National Head Coach Cathy Fellows as they prepare for the 2025 Netball World Youth Cup (NWYC) in Gibraltar.
The tour will be the first opportunity for the young athletes to gain experience playing as a squad internationally. The Aussie squad contains three Swifts athletes in the form of 2024 rookie Grace Whyte, Training Partner Freddie Freddie Schneiderman and QBE Swifts Academy member Nicola Barge.
The Australian squad will be up against strong competition including the Fiji Baby Pearls, headed by Simone Nalatu, the New Zealand 21/U squad, led by Head Coach Julie Seymour, as well as Singapore’s 21/U Squad, headed by Yeo Mee Hong.
The event will be a preparation platform for the competing teams as they work towards next year’s NWYC.
The four countries will go head-to-head in match play across the week to foster international connections and prepare players for elite competition.
While in Fiji, athletes will also take part in community engagement and cultural exchanges across the week working alongside each other on community centred activities including engagement with local schools.
Head Coach Fellows, who served as specialist defence coach for the Fiji Pearls in the 2024 Netball World Cup, expressed her enthusiasm to work with the selected squad members.
“This is an amazing opportunity to gain firsthand exposure to international athletes and their playing styles,” Fellows said.
“It is invaluable in both preparation for the Netball World Youth Cup as well as the individual athlete's understanding of the game at the international level.”
Fellows is excited to build connections amongst the 21/U squad during the trip.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to work with some of the best of Australia's upcoming talent and to build their connections both on and off the court,” she said.
“To have them gain exposure and experience playing against two of the top four teams from the 2017 NWYC in a tournament style competition is a great starting point for our preparation for 2025.”
After the Netball World Youth Cup was postponed in 2021, the 2025 NWYC in Gibraltar will be a pinnacle event.
Initiatives such as the Rising Stars: Fiji 21/U Tour are critical components in preparing athletes for elite competition and international exposure as they begin their journey to Gibraltar.
The Welcome Event was supported by the Australian Government through the PacificAus Sports program, an initiative which builds people-to-people links and further strengthens Australia and the Pacific’s close regional ties through a shared love of sport.
Interested in Netball Australia’s work with Netball Fiji? See more here.
