LESSONS learnt alongside some of the best goalers in the world have Queensland Firebirds’ youngster Mia Stower primed for a big 2023 Suncorp Super Netball season.
Stower has spent the past three years learning her craft alongside superstars Romelda Aiken-George and Gretel Bueta.
The lessons learned on and off the court have proven invaluable for 22-year-old Stower, who spent 2020 and 2021 as a training partner before completing her first season on a fulltime contract in 2022.
“When I first came into the team in 2020, Romelda really took me under her wing,” Stower said.
“She was constantly giving me things to work on. She was really encouraging but also knew how to be brutally honest with me as well.
“I feel like we just had a really good connection from the word go
“Coming into 2022, playing a different role in goal shooter, where I'm not used to playing and playing with Gretel in a moving circle, after having conversations with Gretel in terms of me wanting to just be better and to help her and just to get our connection better, we really figured it out towards the end.
“Gretel was really good because she probably is the best goal attack in the world. Getting to play alongside her, I was very lucky.”
Despite being over a decade younger than Aiken-George, Stower said her and the Jamaican international’s connection had quickly gone beyond the court.
“I was very nervous because I've watched Romelda since I was probably 12, so to actually go from watching her and idolising her to being on the same team as her, I think that's a lot to take in,” Stower said.
“But my personality is very straightforward and I say how it is and I want to learn. So for me that was just easy, whether they like it or not they're just stuck with that.
“Me and Dids just have a really good friendship off court as well. Once we built that, it was so much easier to build that connection on court, which was really good.”
Her apprenticeship served, the Toowoomba product now firmly believes she’s ready to step up a level in 2023 and achieve her ambition to become a 60-minute player.
Stower made a telling impact in the inaugural Suncorp Spirit Cup late last year, scoring a pair of Suncorp Super Shots to spark the Firebirds’ win over Sunshine Coast Lightning in Mackay.
While her selection as one of four players in the Firebirds leadership group last week by head coach Bec Bulley highlights Stower's increasing influence within the squad.
“Because I've sat on the bench and I've waited my turn. I've done everything right and I've been in this environment for nearly three years. I feel like I'm ready for that next step,” she said.
“I've learned off some of the best players in the world so I'm really excited to put my craft into place and see how I hold up against some of the best players in the league.”
