Aimed at building alignment with the Queensland Firebirds Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) team, the previous Queensland Sapphires brand will transform into the Firebirds Futures and will continue to provide aspiring Queensland athletes with exciting opportunities to train and compete in a high-performance environment.
From last year’s Queensland Sapphires team at the Australian Netball Championships, seven players – Macy Gardner, Remi Kamo, Leesa Mi Mi, Mia Stower, Hulita Veve, Charlie Bell and Ashleigh Ervin – all played in the 2023 Suncorp Super Netball campaign.
Olivia Dijkstra and Isabelle Shearer were also training partners with the Firebirds in 2023.
“By aligning our ANC team with the Firebirds branding and colours, our pathway players will be inspired and motivated to work towards their ultimate goal of playing at the highest level of netball,” Netball Queensland Head of Emerging Pathways and former Firebirds Head Coach Roselee Jencke said.
“The Firebirds Futures represents a clear pathway for our talented athletes to develop their skills and establish themselves as future stars within our organisation.”
The 2023 Firebirds Futures team will be led by Head Coach Jess Whitfort, who will select from the top performers from the HART Sapphire Series, some of whom are already Firebirds training partners and members of NQ's Emerging Athlete Program.
The date and venue of the ANC will be announced soon, with Whitfort eager to use the seven-day tournament to showcase the emerging talent in Netball Queensland’s pathways.
"As we embark on this exciting rebranding journey, we are reaffirming NQ's commitment to providing a supportive and high-performance environment for our next generation of elite athletes,” Whitfort said.
The team is also delighted to welcome Linda Peterson as Assistant Coach.
Currently Head Coach of the Gold Coast Titans Ruby Series team, Peterson brings with her many years of experience within the NQ pathway, having previously worked across the underage state teams, QLD Fusion, and as premiership-winning coach for Bond University in the Queensland State Titles.
Whitfort and her support team are in the final stages of squad selection as the Hart Sapphire Series heads into its last two rounds before finals.
“We are spoilt for choice with such a diverse group of talented athletes playing in our Sapphire Series competition and believe the Firebirds Futures will become the breeding ground for future champions,” she said.
The Firebirds Futures squad will be announced on Monday 10th July.
