Named after leading sports administrator Marie Little, the competition offers netballers with an intellectual disability the chance to represent their state or territory.
Having been involved with the Gems since the inception of the program, McCulloch says it is about so much more than just netball for those involved.
“The players come to the program to enjoy the holistic benefits of the game, and we support their independence by building skills and confidence they can apply on and off the court,” McCulloch said.
“Netball is growing more and more inclusive, but as it stands there are limited opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to participate in netball outside Marie Little Shield.
“We are excited about Netball Queensland's strategic focus in the coming year on enabling community clubs and associations to better support people with disabilities, to build pathways to the Gems and expose more women across the state to the opportunity.”
To help the team compete at this year’s competition, Netball Queensland has proudly fully funded the Gems in line with the organisation’s commitment to removing barriers to participation at all levels of netball.
Confident Girls and Mizuno have also provided support for the team.
The 2023 Marie Little Shield will be held in Melbourne with the Gems one of seven teams competing in the three-day event starting on Friday, 15 September.
The competition will be broadcast on Netball Australia TV with the Gems starting their campaign on Friday against defending champions NSW.
The full fixture for the competition can be found here.
2023 Queensland Gems team
Mason Dare
Alice Dunkley
Emma Mangan
Katelyn Mitchell
Jasmin Catteral
Jennifer Collins
Olivia Page
Zoe Gauld
Lisa Lenton
Hanri Smith
Wilhemena Thaw (capt)
Head coach: Merrin McCulloch
