Netball star forging the pathway for others

Emma Daffy is an enthusiastic and competitive netballer whose love for the sport has given her wonderful opportunities with fantastic success. Emma is a star goal attack for Newcomb in the AFL Barwon All-Abilities League but also plays for Lara in the mainstream Saturday Geelong FNL E Grade Competition.

Beginning in 2017, Emma initially started her All Abilities netball journey at her local Football and Netball Club, Lara. Emma found she wanted to test and expand her netball skills even further, leading her to join the mainstream competition. Emma states, “I just wanted to challenge myself. Get my intensity up, get my cardio up, make sure I get a good old challenge out there!”

It is impossible for Emma to decide what competition she likes more but finds the level of intensity and competitiveness to be the primary difference between the two. Her sense of enthusiasm and pride for both leagues is undeniable. Emma explains, “Both sides bring up a good, energetic, fun game.”

Lara Football Netball Club Netball Director, Di Van Doren always knew Emma would have the skillset and ability to be able to play both netball competitions. “Emma has always been a willing participant in all our club combined training sessions. We wanted Emma to decide when the time was right for her and have the confidence to give it a go. She has amazing skills, and her knowledge of the game is astonishing.” Di acknowledged that Emma is a much-loved member of Lara’s E-Grade team and provided valuable input into group sessions and regularly attended Club social events.

The Newcomb Power Football and Netball Club is a strong leader for the All-Abilities league, having both inclusion Netball and Football sides. Scott Smith, Newcomb’s All-Abilities Coordinator, explains inclusivity is central to the club’s values and the All-Abilities program is a valuable and vital part of the club’s DNA. Smith says, “Our inclusion programs sit alongside our mainstream and all members have embraced the programs. Providing the opportunities is very rewarding.”

Emma believes in encouraging other players of the All-Abilities League to get involved in mainstream competitions as a way of breaking down barriers between the two competitions. She suggests, “Just give it a crack! Have a go and do your best out there!”. Di Van Doren supported this by encouraging clubs to keep an open mind when considering providing opportunities for All Abilities players in mainstream Netball.

Smith agrees the biggest barrier to blending All-Abilities players into the mainstream competitions is player confidence. He says, “Once they [All-Abilities players] feel comfortable, there are no issues.”

Emma’s passion and dedication to netball have led to some great achievements through selection for the Marie Little OAM Shield. Emma represented Victoria back in 2019 in Brisbane, bringing home a silver medal. She represented Victoria a second time in Sydney last year, bringing home not only another silver medal, but was also awarded Most Valuable Player overall for the competition. She says, “It was exciting and a bit of a shock”. 

However, the challenge doesn’t end there. Emma’s competitive spirit prevails as she set her sights on achieving more this year. Emma states, “I am wanting to bring back the gold instead of the silver!”.

If there are any players looking to play in any of the AFL Barwon All Abilities Netball Competitions, please contact AFL Barwon Head of Netball, Sophie Allison (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Author: Nina Hyde