By Alesha Capone
The Wyndham Suns will launch an inaugural senior netball side in the WRFL next year.
Jordan Sulman, who previously coached the Manor Lakes netball side in division two, has been appointed as the Suns’ head coach.
“When I got the call to come have an interview with Wyndham Suns I was excited for the prospect, they don’t have a senior team which means it would be up to me to build something along with the dedicated committee behind me,” she said.
“Netball is more than a sport for me, it’s a passion.”
Sulman said she developed her love of netball at a young age, thanks to her mother.
“She’s my biggest inspiration when it comes to netball she’s mentored me my whole life, when she wasn’t my netball coach she still coached me from the sideline, she’s driven for hours to take me to games competitions, never missed any of it, was always supporting me off and on the court pumping me up before every game and supporting me after a win or a loss taking me to state trials and rep squad trials year after year,” Sulman said.
“My mum is a star herself, playing rep squad netball while pregnant with me in Townsville at the age of 15.”
When it comes to her new role at the Wyndham Suns, Sulman said the club’s mindset was “quality over quantity”.
“Playing at Wyndham Suns isn’t just about netball,” she said.
“It’s about wanting to win, week in and week out.
“The willingness to learn and grow as a netball player, being an all-round club person to support our football boys at home games and club functions.”
Sulman said the club would advertise trials for its netball teams in the middle of the month, with trials to be held in December.
“Come along to trials, we are expecting to fill a large number of sides in season 2022,” she said.
“Our preseason will commence mid-January and training will be at Tarneit rise primary school netball courts, every Thursday.”
The Suns’ committee also announced last month that Dean Cachia has been reappointed as senior football coach ahead of the 2022 season.
The Werribee resident, who will remain a playing coach, has been with the Wyndham Suns since the club’s first season playing senior football, which was about six years ago.
Cachia, whose son Jack also played for the club’s under-10s side this year, said that his own passion for football began in his younger days.
“I have had an interest in football since I can remember,” Cachia said.
“I remember watching Carlton win the grand final in 1995 as a five-year-old.”
Cachia said that after almost 18 months of COVID-19 restrictions, the Suns “are keen to get back into work, for what feels like a 30 month preseason, with 10 or so matches in-between”.
“We will work very hard over the off-season in readiness for a big 2022,” he said.
“We aim to play finals and continue where we ended in 2021, which saw us lose only one game.”
Cachia said as a coach, he enjoyed the challenge of trying to bring out the best in others, both on and off the field.
“I also like the ability to have a positive influence on many people throughout the club as a whole – the ability to lead a group towards a common goal, which gives me great motivation, and at times satisfaction,” he said.
Cachia said the Suns were excited to see netball become a part of the club in 2022, as well as growth in the club’s junior participants across all age groups including Auskick.
“If you check out our Facebook page you will see we have had a very high number of players recommit to the club, including a number of key recruits,” he said.
Details: www.facebook.com/wyndhamsuns or www.wyndhamsunsfc.com.au/
