South Coast netballers prepare for First Nations representative opportunity

The South Coast Blaze defender - along with teammate Courtney Jones - have been picked in Netball Australia's inaugural First Nations national team.

The side, which consists of 12 Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders from around the country, will compete at the 2024 Pacific Netball Series in June. The team is a key part of Netball Australia's commitment to increasing the number of First Nations netballers within their high performance pathway.

It's a huge opportunity for Holland and Jones, both 24, who are key cogs in the Blaze's opens side which competes in the NSW Premier League.

Holland - who is a fourth-year Blaze player - told the Mercury that she was extremely proud to be selected in the First Nations team.

"It's a pretty big honour to get a chance to represent your culture in a national team in a sport that you love," the Corrimal talent said.

"It's super exciting that we will be given the opportunity to play in the Pacific Series against a high calibre of athletes. I think the main feeling is excitement to see what this team will progress to in the future for, and for future generations to come."

Holland, who plays either goal keeper or goal defence, has been playing netball since she was four years old.

She added that she hoped that her national selection would inspire the younger generation in her family.

"I'm a proud Kamilaroi woman from Moree way," she said.

"My connections are passed down from my grandparents. My Nan is a Smith and my Pop is a Nean. That connection to culture is so important and something that's been passed down to me. I grew up on Birpai country in Port Macquarie, and now I'm on the beautiful Dharawal lands of the South Coast.

"I've played netball my whole life, it's always been my main sport. And I hope that I'm able to inspire my younger cousins who have previously had all-male role models. There's a large representation of Aboriginal people playing male-dominant sports like league, AFL and basketball.

"But we're very under represented in the netball space, so hopefully this can be a stepping stone into bigger things."

The First Nations selection is also an exciting opportunity for Jones, who grew up playing netball in the Macarthur region.

The 24-year-old now lives on the Central Coast, but makes the road trip down to Sydney each week to play for the Blaze. 2024 marks the centre's first season with the South Coast franchise.

However, she has also played netball for close to two decades.

"This (national) selection not only means that I can represent my culture and my family in the sport that I love, but it gives young First Nations athletes something to work towards as it can be pretty easy to get lost in the netball pathways," Jones said.

"We have a lot of family and community looking up to us. So whether we know it or not, we're that positive role model for young girls. And representation is huge for our people, there's not a whole lot of First Nations athletes in the elite netball environment. So if they can see us playing at that level, hopefully it will push more girls to continue in the sport.

"I'm a proud Biripi woman and my family is from the NSW Mid North Coast I grew up on Dharawal country though, in south-west Sydney in the Camden and Campbelltown area, so I feel like I've got some strong ties to that community as well.

"I think it's been instilled in me from my mum and dad that, because of the position that I'm in, I do have young girls that look up to me. So it's second nature now for me to give back in different ways."