In multiple roles across the Netball Queensland pathways down the years, Peterson has used coaching as a place to teach, problem-solve and help young athletes find the next layer in their game.
And when Peterson received a devastating cancer diagnosis, coaching and netball took on a whole new significance.
“It is my absolute passion,” Peterson said.
“And the Reserves format sets up quite a unique set of circumstances for coaching.”
Peterson’s diagnosis came just as she was initially approached to consider a role with the Futures in 2023, and then after taking some time away from the game, it wasn’t long before she realised pursuing her coaching passion didn’t have to be curtailed by her situation.
“By May of the following year I was like, ‘oh my god, something's missing in my life’,” she said.
“Part of me was missing … I felt I wasn't living fully and in a way it was netball and everything that goes with that - the relationships and the commitment and the concentration and the distraction.”
With Netball Queensland supporting Peterson to ensure she could continue her treatment and fulfill the role, she’s been a part of the Futures program ever since.
That commitment has only deepened this season as Peterson’s role has expanded under Firebirds Futures Head Coach Paula Stuart, who is also balancing her responsibilities as Queensland Firebirds assistant coach. With Stuart’s priorities at times needing to sit with the SSN program, Peterson has stepped up to take on extra responsibility within the Futures environment.
It has meant more than simply being an assistant in name.
“It might be things like preparing the video analysis, or it might be that I take Thursday night’s training session,” she said. “It might be the pre-game talk, where we map out the game plan and all that sort of thing.
“I’m used to doing the head coach role, I suppose, for state league for many, many years, so I guess it’s the best of both worlds.”
That broader involvement is a reflection not only of her experience, but of the trust she has earned within the system. With a deep well of knowledge of the Queensland talent coming through, Peterson knows the landscape, knows the players and knows what the next step looks like.
And that is what makes the Firebirds Futures role so meaningful.
“I love the girls, I love the challenge of those players that are on the fringe of Super Netball. Also, seeing the young ones become aware of their own talent and potential” she said.
“You see the results, and I guess that’s part of the joy of it. That’s what you want to do, right? You want to help players on their way.”
Peterson has now been in the role long enough to see that progress in action. She has watched young players move through the system, build confidence in the Reserves environment and then take their opportunities when they come. This season alone, Lily Gribble, Sasha Flegler and Jessie Laga’aia have all debuted for the Queensland Firebirds, while former Futures representatives Jess Milne, Josie Bingham, Holly Comyns and Ashlee Barnett have earned opportunities in the ANZ Premiership in New Zealand.
That kind of progression is exactly what the program is built for.
“I got goosebumps when Jessie made her debut this year for the ‘Birds,” Peterson said. “There are some players where you just go, they’re ready - it’s just a matter of when an opportunity is going to come up for them.
“We aim to prepare them for that opportunity when it comes, because you don’t know when it’s going to be.”
Importantly, Peterson sees that development as being about far more than match results. Super Netball Reserves is short, intense and at times unforgiving, but she believes the competition’s real value lies in the way it stretches individuals. Players are asked to be flexible, to perform in unfamiliar roles and to make every minute count.
“Every minute counts that you’re out on the court so use it like you value it that much, because it is absolutely their time for exposure,” she said.
“It is about development. We might be putting players in positions where it’s not their strength, but they have the opportunity then to show that they can play a second or third position.”
That philosophy mirrors Peterson’s own journey in coaching. Just as the athletes are constantly being asked to adapt and evolve, so too are the coaches working in this space. And for Peterson, that is one of the most important - and underappreciated - elements of the Reserves competition.
There are only a handful of coaching jobs at the top end of the game, and even fewer pathways for emerging coaches to gain genuine high-performance experience. Peterson believes Super Netball Reserves is helping change that.
“There’s not a lot out there,” she said. “So I guess that’s why I feel particularly fortunate to be part of this.
“I am homegrown, I am a Queenslander, and I get to coach our girls, our up-and-coming Queensland athletes before they turn to the franchises.”
Peterson also hopes her own journey sends a message to the next generation of coaches - that there is more than one way to reach this level.
“I haven’t gone about it as an ex-Firebirds player,” she said. “I think it’s just about working on your craft and improving as a coach, just like the athletes are expected to.”
As the Firebirds Futures prepare to face QBE Swifts Academy at Ken Rosewall Arena on Sunday, Peterson’s influence will again be threaded through the group - in the planning, in the detail and in the belief that this program is doing exactly what it is meant to do.
For all the challenges life has thrown at her, Peterson continues to show up, contribute and coach with clarity and care. Cancer is part of her story, but it is not the whole story.
The more powerful one is this: in the middle of it all, she is still shaping Queensland’s next generation.
FIREBIRDS FUTURES SQUAD - Round 6 vs QBE Swifts Academy (Sunday, 5pm @ Ken Rosewall Arena)
Kirra Tappenden
Kaylin van Greunen
Sasha Flegler
Jayden Molo
Leila Simpson
Maddi Ridley
Lillyana Rennie
Gemma Hutchings
Lily Gribble
For Super Netball Reserves scores and results, click here.
To watch matches live, visit CODE Sports (subscription required).
