TWO Ballarat Football Netball League premiership coaches are among a star-studded coaching panel selected to propel Ballarat into a new era of netball.
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Redan 2011 premiership coach Kate McMahon and Sunbury 2013 premiership coach Kim Bailey will both coach the new Sovereigns for its first Victorian Netball Association season in 2015.
Also appointed to the panel will be multiple Central Highlands Netball League winning coach Gary Cooke.
The announcement on Thursday coincided with the finalisation of the championship, division one and 19/under squads.
Ballarat’s newly formed side, which was granted a VNL licence after the struggling Ballarat Pride was axed earlier this year, will be coached by former Australian Diamonds player Natasha Chokljat, with former Australian teammate Eloise Southby to fill the role as high performance director.
McMahon will be an assistant coach to Chokljat alongside Mark Melnikas. Bailey will coach the division one side and Cooke will serve as assistant to Kerry Lightfoot in the under-19s.
Chokljat said she was confident with the list that had been selected.
“We’re very happy with the squads that we have assembled,” she said.
Championship and division one
Head coach: Natasha Chokljat
Championship assistant coaches: Kate McMahon, Mark Melnikas
Division one coach: Kim Bailey
Division one assistant coach: Jordan O’Keefe
High performance director: Eloise Southby
Goalers: Jordyn Bibby, Laura McDonald, Cynna Kydd, Hayley Fidler, Jess Parry, Amy Starzer
Mid-court: Lauren Atkinson, Kelly Conroy, Jane Costello, Ashlea Melnikas, Emma Ryan, Cayley Armstrong, Danielle Davidson, Madison Davis, Samantha Karakinos, Tara Fisher, Sally Portbury
Defenders: Ashley Bradley, Erin Riley, Sanonu Robertson, Rhiannon Banner, Elenoa Costello, Katie Lindkvist, Sarah Milton
19/under
Coach: Kerry Lightfoot
Assistant coach: Gary Cooke
Goalers: Lauren Jew, Sasha McDonald, Zoe Ottavi, Abbey Ryan
Mid-court: Kathryn O’Dwyer, Emily Ktona, Bridget Murray, Ashley Ryan
Defenders: Emily Atkinson, Zoe Davies, Claudia Masek, Bridget Smith
19/under development squad
Goalers: Elonie Hooper, Monique Nagle
Mid-court: Bree Hearn, Makayla Bulte, Hannah Kuhar, Sarah McCabe, Carla O’Brien, Meikah Johns
Defenders: Lara Keating, Elley Lawton, Bridget Macciotta, Stephanie Mundy, Georgia Stone
patrick.nolan@fairfaxmedia.com.au
