Netball star asks if a player will have to ‘commit SUICIDE’ before the game supports them  

Former netball star Sharni Norder fears a tragedy may have to befall the sport before the game’s authorities take players’ welfare seriously.

Earlier this month, 72 percent of netball players who responded to a News Corp survey revealed they felt the game was not doing enough to protect their mental health and wellbeing.

Such is the extents of the concerns that players have so far refused to sign up to the collective bargaining agreement tabled by Netball Australia (NA) until the body will meet their demands over welfare. 

Former Diamonds captain Shami Norder has warned netball won’t start taking concerns over welfare seriously until a player takes her own life 

Norder believes it is ‘quite plausible’ that only a player taking her own life will force NA into taking actions.

‘It’s so important they find that money because someone is going to have to pay at some point in time,’ the former Diamonds captain, told the Courier Mail.

‘Is it going to take a player to commit suicide before [anything is done]. It’s quite possible and plausible that that could happen.’

Norder, who played for six different clubs over a 15-year career before switching to football in 2018, revealed she experienced ‘suicidal thoughts’ during her playing days.

The former Diamonds captain has revealed she had ‘suicidal thoughts’ during her career

And was grateful she could rely on a wellbeing officer when she had a ‘meltdown’ in 2017

‘I was in the depths of suicidal thoughts when I was depressed and I know other players have been there previously,’ she added.

‘I won’t name people but I know other players have been there previously in their lifetime of sport.

‘Is it going to take someone to be that depressed before they do something about it?’

Since last year, the Australian Netball Players Association has pushed for club-based welfare officers to be employed for a minimum of two days a week.

A News Corp survey last month found 72 percent of players felt the game was not doing enough to protect their mental health and wellbeing.

While the Adelaide Thunderbirds, Queensland Firebirds and Melbourne Vixens have followed the recommendation, not all the other clubs have followed suit.

Two other clubs, according to News Corp, have agreed in principle. 

Crucially, because the clubs have taken over the funding of welfare officers from NA, the final call rests with them.

Last month, NA chief executive Kelly Ryan wrote to the clubs in a bid to get to agreeing to the two-day-a-week model, but her plea was met with some resistance.

Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan has urged the clubs to commit to employ a welfare officer on a two-day-a-week basis but some clubs remain reluctant to do so 

Some clubs remain reluctant to commit to the model, claiming they cannot afford the increase in costs that would come with it.

That, in turn, has left players frustrated and Norder told the Courier Mail she knows first hand the importance being able to rely on a welfare officer. 

‘I don’t know what would have happened,’ she said recalling a ‘meltdown’ she suffered in 2017, which she overcame after speaking to then-Diamonds wellbeing officer Angie Bain. 

Players are refusing to sign Netball Australia’s collective bargaining agreement until their demands over welfare are met 

Following a review from the Australian Institute of Sport in 2018, NA was advised to implement a host of wellbeing standards across the eight Suncorp Super Netball clubs.

A national wellbeing manager was appointed in 2020, but the NA pushed back on the suggestions all eight clubs should commit to employ welfare officers for two-and-a-half days a week.

The NA instead to a one-day-a-week model instead, prompting the wellbeing manager and her successor to reportedly quit in frustration after the recommendations of the review were not fully implemented.