EXPERIENCED mid-courter Kim Ravaillion will lead the Queensland Firebirds in 2023 after being named as captain for the upcoming Suncorp Super Netball season.
Ravaillion, who will lead the Firebirds for a second-straight season after her maiden campaign as captain in 2022, is part of a historic four-player leadership group named by Head Coach Bec Bulley.
Vice-captain Lara Dunkley as well as Gabi Simpson and Mia Stower are the other players named as Firebirds leaders.
Dunkley retains the role she held alongside Ravaillion last season while it’s a return to a formal leadership position for ex-captain Simpson, who led the Firebirds for five years from 2017 to 2021.
Rising star Stower’s growing influence has also been recognised with the 22-year-old named as a leader ahead of what will be her second season as a contracted player.
“I’m extremely excited to have such a deep pool of talent to choose from as leaders in my team,” Bulley said.
“All four players named regularly demonstrate leadership capabilities and have an unwavering commitment to our team values and behaviours.
“I’m thrilled to have Kim as captain. She’s a player who knows what it takes to experience success, sets the highest standards on and off the court and is the epitome of a player who leads by example.
“Both Kim and I share a similar mindset on what we want this club to achieve and how to get there and those similarities are a vital component between a coach and captain.”
Ravaillion, a two-time premiership winner, has represented Australia 60 times and also won both World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medals during her career.
The 29-year-old said it was an honour to retain the captaincy for what she believes is a big season for the Firebirds.
“We went through a bit of a process to get this captaincy and I actually loved it because you had to go through an interview process and the girls had to nominate who they wanted,” Ravaillion said.
“That just enabled me to be myself, be really genuine and open up about how I want to be the leader of this team.
“It’s a really exciting group. You can just tell everyone wants to be here.
“All the girls are living the standards and values that we’ve set. This group is really special. They’ve all kind of played together in the HART Sapphire Series and now they get the opportunity to play for the Firebirds.
“We get to build from that and hopefully bring success to the Firebirds in 2023.”
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