Originating from regional South Australia and coming up through the Netball SA pathway, the standout mid courter has earned yet another season with the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
2020 will mark Hannah’s fifth season with the club and she is also increasingly proving herself a future Diamonds contender, having recently been named in the Australian Development Squad.
Hannah says she was elated at the news of her selection.
“I was very excited to hear that I had been selected for the Australian Development Squad when Australian Coach, Lisa Alexander, called me with the news. Once I got off the phone, I rang my family straight away to share this exciting news,” said Hannah.
The development program is aimed at developing the nations next crop of potential Diamonds in preparation for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Having grown up watching and aspiring to be a Diamond herself, Hannah says the selection means the world to her.
“Being selected meant a lot to me and my development in netball as my goal since a young girl watching the Diamonds play is to one day pull on the green and gold dress.”
Hannah recently had the opportunity to attend the first three-day training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra in early October and says a highlight of the experience was learning alongside a new group of players.
“I loved being away on camp and learning a lot of new skills with different coaches. The key highlights/takeaway for me was being able to play with a new group of girls, some of whom I have played with previously, and putting into practice new skills and ideas being developed at the camp. And playing against England A in practice matches.”
To help develop the rising stars of Australian netball, Julie Fitzgerald was appointed as Head Coach of the squad, supported by West Coast Fever coach, Stacey Marinkovich, as attack coach and former Adelaide Thunderbirds coach, Michelle Den Dekker, in defence.
Hannah says working with the coaches, who together hold a wealth of elite experience, has provided a great opportunity to help see the game from different perspectives.
“I found this opportunity really fantastic to get new ideas about the game as each coach sees the game slightly differently, so I learnt a lot of new skills and new ways to look at different situations.”
We look forward to seeing Hannah put all her hard work on display again in the 2020 season.
