Sport
25 November, 2025
Netball clinics a coup for isolated Outback children
The clinics will give regional and School of the Air students rare access to face-to-face training.
One of Brisbane's leading schools is bringing its top-tier netball program to Mount Isa next week, delivering four days of specialist coaching for local children through the annual Sports for Bush Kids initiative.
Running from December 2 to 5 at Sunset Stadium (the indoor basketball courts), the clinics run by St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School will give regional and School of the Air students rare access to face-to-face training, teamwork opportunities and skills development led by the school’s highly qualified netball coaching staff.
St Margaret’s head of netball Gayle Coutts said the sessions would cover the foundations of the sport while giving young players plenty of opportunities to test themselves.
“The coaches will be covering all the essential skills of netball, including passing and catching, speedy and smart footwork, goal shooting and attacking and defending,” she said.
“Participants will have the chance to practise those skills in mini games and match play and will also be able to try out different netball positions.
“Spreading our sporting resources to regional locations provides an opportunity for children from geographically isolated areas, who have no regular access to organised sport, the chance to play. We hope the players will gain skills and confidence and love netball as much as we do!’’
Adding a strong local connection, two Mount Isa-born St Margaret’s students will return home to help deliver the clinics.
Sixteen-year-old Makayla Wilson, who began playing netball at four and previously competed with the Vixens and Te Whanau clubs in the Mount Isa Amateur Netball Association, said she was excited to return.
“I’m really looking forward to giving back to the community that helped foster my love of netball and shape me into the player I am today," she said.
"I’m so fortunate to have the opportunities to play team sports at school every day, which is not something that these kids get to do very often.
"I’m excited to share what I’ve learned, make it lots of fun and hopefully inspire other kids to pursue sport and stay active.”
Fellow student Aaliyah Poihipi, who previously played for the Saints, said the St Margaret’s netball program had broadened her opportunities.
“I’ve really developed as a player. The coaches provide great support and feedback and the competitions are really challenging,” she said.
Aaliyah now competes in club, QGSSSA and Downey Park netball, as well as the Greater Brisbane Netball League, and has been selected for the Moreton Bay City Pulse Academy and the 2026 Emerald Team.
Maleya Raitava, another local now boarding at St Margaret's, was also meant to deliver the netball program. Maleya will instead be in Melbourne at the 2025 Australian Athletics All Schools Championships.
Maleya, a former Saints player since she was 7, has broadened her netball and umpiring in Brisbane, regularly umpiring juniors and seniors at Downey Park Netball Association and Pine Rivers Netball Association and victorious in the QGSSSA competition.
As part of the program, St Margaret’s will also donate $1000 to Sports for Bush Kids and supply $900 worth of new netball equipment for local players.