Kate Withers
NETBALL
Standing at 186 centimetres tall, Traralgon’s Myah Healey cuts an imposing figure on the netball court.
At just 14, the St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School student stands out for all the right reasons and has earned selection in the under 15 Victorian netball team to compete at the School Sports Australia Championships.
After a lengthy selection process that started in February, Myah was selected in the final team of 12 and will fly the flag for Gippsland at the championships this week.
As well as being a natural with most ball sports, Myah is able to build on her fitness for netball and basketball with wood chopping, which is a long-standing tradition in her family.
She has had to juggle her netball around extensive basketball commitments and her only weekly netball run comes in the Mid Gippsland league for Morwell East each Saturday.
She has “dabbled in lots of sports” according to mum Katie, who said the only thing Myah didn’t take naturally to was ballet as a three-year-old.
“She was the only girl basketballer on her junior side for some time, which has toughened her up a bit,” Katie said.
“She starting showing some real potential at seven or eight but she’s always had a ball in her hand.
“But she’s really a pretty low-key kid. She just takes everything in her stride and is very humble.”
Myah has been selected as a goal shooter for Victoria but can play at either end of the court.
Aunt Fiona Doultree, who has coached Myah in “bits and pieces” and runs specialist coaching clinics on a weekly basis, said the teen’s natural talent for netball was “phenomenal”.
“What you can teach Myah in one session takes others 10. She’s so coachable, she’s just a dream to coach,” Fiona said.
“She’s awesome. There’s limited opportunities locally, so I couldn’t be happier that she’s had the opportunity to go all the way.
“She is unique. She’s very tall for a girl and well-built for someone of her age, but can move like a mid-courter, always got great composure and her ability to compete and focus and shut out external pressure is amazing.”
As a relative newcomer to the game, Fiona said Myah’s potential was “endless”.
“A lot of players have the skill but not the mental capacity, but the maturity in Myah’s years is beyond her,” she said.
“When I consider her potential, when she’s coached properly, it’ll be really exciting.”
