Sport
2 November, 2026
Netballers gather for first-class training festival
SEVENTY young netballers from across Far North Queensland gathered in Cairns for the Kenfrost Homes Marlin Coast Academy Festival of Netball, bringing together emerging players for a weekend of coaching and competition.
The festival was held on 17 and 18 October 2026 at the Cairns Netball Complex, Martyn St, and the Cairns Colonial Club, marking the academy’s final event of the year.
Players aged 14 to 17 attended from associations including Tully, Mareeba, Tablelands, Innisfail and Cairns, as well as several non-academy participants. The annual festival offers athletes from different academies the opportunity to come together, develop their skills and gain experience alongside players from across the region.
Former Diamond Vicki Wilson led the weekend program, supported by three other high-profile presenters who delivered coaching sessions on various aspects of netball.
Participants took part in skills development sessions and match play, enabling them to put their newly acquired techniques into practice.
Local coaches and 17 umpires also participated over the weekend, with the academy’s development program extending beyond players to support coaching and umpiring pathways.
The festival followed an earlier gala day in September, which drew 40 girls and boys aged 11 to 13.
Organisers separated the younger and older age groups this year, following an increase in academy participation, to give athletes greater access to coaching from high-performance presenters.
The event capped another year for the academy.
An under-15 team travelled to Brisbane to compete in the Tigers Cup, while an under-18 team travelled to Christchurch, New Zealand, where it secured a gold medal at the International Netball Festival.
