Paige Hadley visits Port courts to help coach next generation

NSW Swifts and Australian Diamond player Paige Hadley took part in the special coaching clinics to inspire the next generation of netballers.

For netball players like Layci Kearsey, it was a very special day.

The nine-year-old was able to walk away with her hat signed by the World Cup champ.

"When I play netball, I can wear it," she said.

Layci said it was good to meet Hadley.

"[She was] cool," she said.

"I've never met her before in my life."

The two day coaching clinics, hosted by the Port Combined Netball Club ran from Friday (September 29) and Saturday (September 30) with Hadley arriving on the second day.

Former NSW Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch returned to Port Macquarie with Swifts training partner Laura Towell to run the coaching clinics as part of their coaching business Per4orm Netball.

Hadley said it was awesome to be at Port Macquarie and get involved.

"I think for me, being at Swifts base in Sydney, I don't really get to come out regionally that much," she said

"We don't have enough time to come out here and see these young, keen netballers so as soon as I had the opportunity to be able to work around my schedule, I wanted to be involved."

"When they see their idols, their role models and they realise that there is an opportunity for them to be a Diaomond or a Swift or whatever they chose, it's awesome."

As a young girl, playing for the Swifts was a dream for Hadley but when it comes to winning a World Cup, she said there's nothing like it.

"To be a part of something that's special and the legacy of what netball is...[and] to be a part of what's come before and be able to be paving the way for those girls that are coming after is awesome," she said.

"Winning the World Cup was a dream come true to be honest."

2023 has been a massive year for Australian women's sports with the Diamond's winning their twelfth World Cup and the Matilda's shining on the world stage.

"It's an amazing time for women in sport not just in netball," Hadley said.

"I think if you look at what the Matilda's were able to do in a home World Cup and literally stop a nation...I guess once people watch the sport and attend the sport, they get hooked on the sport."

Despite winning the World Cup however, there was no prize money awarded to the Diamonds.

"I think there's a long way to go," Hadley said.

"I think women's sport is going there but there's still huge leaps to go before...women can be professional athletes and not have to work or study [while competing]."

It's not uncommon for female athletes to have part time work outside of their sport despite competing on the world stage at a professional level on numerous occasions.

Early in her career, Hadley attended university part time and currently works for a doctor doing elite athlete work whilst also coaching young kids.

"It's really hard being an elite athlete," Hadley said.

"Our training demands are so high and that's what our priority is."

Hadley said she wants more people to continue to participate in netball as well as become viewers and attendees at games.

"Once people watch the sport and attend, they get hooked on the sport."

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