The event served as a celebration of the vital role coaches and umpires play in our sport. Without these dedicated individuals, our game simply wouldn't be netball. They are the leaders, educators, mentors and role models who shape every player who walks onto the court and we are incredibly grateful for their ongoing commitment.
The conference witnessed remarkable growth, with in-person attendance nearly tripling from 34 in 2025 to 99 this year, while online participation increased from 63 to 66. This significant surge reflects the strong appetite for learning, development and shared conversations across both coaching and umpiring pathways.
Attendees tailored their experience by selecting from 24 diverse sessions throughout the day. Cross-sport panels were a standout feature, with netball legend Vicki Wilson OAM joining experts touch football Tristan Mana, basketball Mark Wrobel and rugby league Michael Comerford and Netball Australia Kim Bailey to explore progression versus pathways and substitution strategies across different codes.
The umpire panel featured top officials including National Basketball referee Alex McEwan, Rugby Australia's Brendan McKibbin, international water polo referee Ash Kaesler as well as Netball Queensland High Performance Umpire Morgan Dick and Umpire Coach Caroline Stevens, all offering fresh perspectives on decision-making under pressure.
Innovation took centre stage with QUT's Dr Kath O'Brien presenting groundbreaking research using ChatGPT platforms to analyse referees, while Jack Rolfe's Coaching Lab challenged traditional coaching approaches. On-court sessions brought theory to life, with High Performance Coach Simone Nalatu and Elite Coach Megan Lynch delivering attack and defence strategies and National A umpire Caroline Stevens providing hands-on umpiring techniques.
The Queensland Firebirds and Queensland Gems training sessions offered unique learning opportunities, with the Gems session showcasing Netball Queensland's new disability inclusion resources. Netball Australia's Deanna Stainer and Kim Bailey unveiled the new Woolworths Net Set Go program through an energetic demonstration with enthusiastic young participants.
Netball Queensland extends sincere gratitude to all presenters, attendees and partners who made the 2026 conference a landmark celebration of our workforce community's dedication to excellence.
