Legendary Australian Diamond No.109 and former Melbourne Vixens Head Coach Simone McKinnis will work with Netball PNG to coach the national team and U21s, while supporting the organisation with their high-performance plan focused on long-term development.
Simone McKinnis’ work with Netball PNG builds on high performance workshops delivered by Netball Australia supported by the Australian Government’s PacificAus Sports program.
Coach McKinnis says she is looking forward to spending time with the athletes and coaches providing her knowledge and insights from an extensive career in netball.
“As well as providing practical support, I’m hoping to assist Netball PNG in growing their High-Performance Program by helping them identify the areas where they can really make an impact across 2026,” she said.
Renowned for her ability to connect with and bring out the best of her athletes while fostering high performance environments, she brings invaluable insight and experience to Netball PNG, offering a deep understanding of what it takes to build sustainable success at the elite level.
CEO of Netball PNG Lynette Maha says they are excited to be working side by side, “Simone’s experience as a Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) coach and winning the 2025 premiership with the Melbourne Vixens is testament to her abilities.
“All our participants, whether coaches, high-performance staff, administrators, board members or affiliate Presidents are looking forward to the workshop with her.”
Alongside high-performance planning, Netball PNG will work closely with Netball Australia to finalise their Strategic Plan, supporting the growth of community netball development alongside elite pathways.
This initiative is supported by Netball’s Ocean of Power – an Australian Government initiative through the Pacific Women’s Sports Administration Program reaffirming a shared commitment to supporting gender equality and positive social change through the power of netball.
Netball Australia Head of Market Development Ms Sallee Caldwell said the initiative with Coach McKinnis and the strategic planning workshop reflects the ongoing partnership between Netball Australia and Netball PNG, focused on strengthening organisational strategy both in high-performance and community.
“Simone McKinnis is an exceptional ambassador for netball in Australia and brings a wealth of experience to share with Netball PNG. Her extensive knowledge in the high-performance space will be invaluable in supporting the development of Netball PNG’s strategic plan,” Ms Caldwell said.
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Australian Diamond No.109 and former Melbourne Vixens Head Coach Simone McKinnis at the SSN Grand Final.
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