By Amanda Myler
A TASTE of Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) action, a Super Netball Reserves debut, and a first season playing at the Queensland HART Premier Netball League (HPNL) Sapphire level - all in the same year - has given Elena Damianopoulos reason to reflect.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper is no stranger to higher honours, having been in and around the Australian Mixed Netball team since 2022, yet donning Sunshine Coast Lightning colours for two games in the world’s best netball competition surpassed all expectations.
"There’s been a lot that’s happened in the past eight months I’ve been here," Damianopoulos said.
"I’ve done more in eight months here in Brisbane than however long I played netball in WA."
A phone call from Moreton Bay City Pulse head coach Kerrianne ‘KC’ Farrelly, and the lure of a place in the Sunshine Coast Lightning Bolts Reserves, enticed Damianopoulos across the country for her "year of firsts".
"I moved over, and was in the Bolts but never thought I’d get game time," she said.
"We flew over to Perth for the first game, so it was my home crowd, and I got on the court for such a great experience. I came back here, started the Pulse season, and then got to sit on the Sunshine Coast Lightning bench in Sydney, and again the following week in Adelaide."
After collecting 17 intercepts and 32 deflections from seven Super Netball Reserves matches this season, Damianopoulos embraced the opportunity to immerse herself in the elite SSN environment.
"It’s not everyday you get the best goalkeeper in the world to give you pointers and tips," she said of working alongside Courtney Bruce.
"Unfortunately for Courtney, her injury meant that I got the call-up the day before Round 13. The following week I was released from Pulse training to be with the Lightning for the whole week, and that was an opportunity of a lifetime."
Damianopoulos has shared her basic but critical learnings around body movement and footwork with her Moreton Bay City Pulse teammates, as they seek to win their first HPNL Sapphire game in 2025.
Netball Queensland’s newest franchise, led by Farrelly, remains buoyant ahead of this Saturday’s Round 11 clash with the third-placed Gold Coast Titans at Nissan Arena.
"We had major goals coming into our first season, for me it was making the top four but we’ve had to reset and regather to set realistic goals before next season," Farrelly said.
"We’ve come out with new goals, both individually and as a team, the girls are still happy and enjoying their netball, and the learnings have been absolutely amazing."
It’s been a season of challenges both on and off the court for the Pulse, as co-head coach Karen Wilson’s contract was terminated early in their campaign, but Farrelly said as the “new kids on the block” their definition of success hasn’t necessarily been directly tied to points on the ladder.
"Even though we haven’t had a win, we’ve had so many wins within the club - two girls on the Lightning bench, four Lightning Reserves, the PNG captain, a First Nations representative, three potentials for Tonga, and a New Zealand ANZ representative," Farrelly said.
"We’ll fall on our feet and next year is the year, because we’ve got an amazing foundation with great culture and unity. We’re on the right pathway."
Players and team personnel aren’t embarking on their mission for success alone, with Farrelly quick to point out the phenomenal support of major sponsor Family First.
"They give us everything," Farrelly said.
"They’ve hosted team building days at The Langham, and come to our games. They’ve been the main provider and we wouldn’t be where we are without them so we’re very fortunate."
KommunityTV is your home to watch Queensland’s top talents LIVE and exclusive. Two matches each round from the top-flight Sapphire division are being exclusively live streamed on News Corp Australia mastheads, including The Courier-Mail and Gold Coast Bulletin.
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