Victoria University Netball Academy is seeking promising young netballers to train under its new head coach, netball legend Bianca Chatfield.
The VU Netball Academy targets talented players aged either under 15 or under 17 for the rigours of elite netball. It has produced many high-calibre athletes at both state and national levels since it was established in 2010 to address a shortage of opportunities for exceptional netballers in Melbourne’s West.
The Academy is delighted to welcome Chatfield, a well-known netballer with a distinguished 13-year international career.
Since being selected to the Australian netball team in 2001 as an 18 year old (one of the youngest players to represent her country) Chatfield played on the Australian Diamonds team for Commonwealth Games silver in 2006 and gold in 2014.
With over 240 games for the Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Vixens, Chatfield is current Vixens’ captain and looks forward to defending the team’s ANZ Championship title in 2015. She is also VU’s ambassador in the University’s partnership with Netball Victoria and Melbourne Vixens.
Chatfield said she was immediately impressed with VU’s Netball Academy when she ran a special guest coach training session for it last year.
Over the years, about 150 athletes have been selected to train in the Academy. Many participants continue to study at VU and represent the University in intervarsity competitions across Australia.
Academy participants attend specialist monthly training and coaching sessions and have access to VU’s Aquatic and Fitness Centres, as well as the University’s allied health services such as osteopathy, nutritional therapy and massage.
Selection trials for the 2015 VU Netball Academy will be on 27 February and 13 March.
Visit the VU website for more information about the VU Netball Academy and to register for tryouts.
The Academy is based at VU’s Community Sports Stadium at Whitten Oval, home to the new Western Netball league with partner Netball Victoria.
Note: Victoria University and The Melbourne Vixens had a long-standing partnership until August 2018.
