Lauren Mead has been appointed Head Coach of the Queensland 17 & Under team, supported by Assistant Coach and former Queensland Firebird Amy Sommerville.
In the 19 & Under program, experienced coach Gavin Clarke will take the reins as Head Coach alongside Assistant Coach Carynne Robinson.
The newly appointed coaches will play a key role at the upcoming State Titles at Nissan Arena from September 21–23, working with selectors to identify Queensland’s top emerging talent. From there, state squads will be named to prepare for the NNC.
Mead brings a wealth of experience across Queensland pathways and HART Premier Netball League programs and is currently Assistant Coach at the Brisbane South Wildcats in the HPNL Sapphire Division.
She said she is proud to lead Queensland’s 17s.
“I feel incredibly honoured to have received this role as I believe it is a true privilege to work with athletes at this stage of their netball careers,” Mead said.
“Amy and I will prepare these athletes to have great skills on and off the court, developing the whole athlete. I’m really looking forward to seeing the younger talent coming through and helping them continue to bring Queensland success.”
Clarke has held coaching roles across Downey Park Netball Association, the Queensland Suns, Australian Men’s U20 team and is currently an Assistant Coach at the Bond University Bull Sharks’ HPNL Sapphire Division team.
“I just love netball and I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the campaign and carnival,” Clarke said.
“For me, helping anyone be their best and being part of a journey that brings so much happiness to people is a real privilege. I’m excited to continue developing as a coach and a person through the NQ pathways.”
Netball Queensland’s Head of Talent and Development Roselee Jencke said the appointments strengthen Queensland’s commitment to developing future Firebirds and Diamonds.
“Our underage programs are an essential part of the pathway, and we are delighted to have coaches of Lauren, Amy, Gavin and Carynne’s calibre leading our state teams,” Jencke said.
“They not only bring technical knowledge but also the ability to inspire and mentor young athletes as they take their first steps on the high-performance pathway.”
