BEHIND every sporting success story there is generally a coach, and for the state champion Westlakes District Netball Association under-15 netball team there have been two coaches.
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Sisters Tracy Baldock and Karen Daniels, from Arcadia Vale, have been involved with Westlakes netball since their childhood.
The pair started playing netball for Wangi Arcadia as 7-year-olds.
They took the coaching role of today's under-15s when the girls were 12-year-olds.
They have taken the girls under their wings not only as coaches but as role models.
Both coaches also have daughters playing representative netball.
Tracy, with Tiana, who was part of this year's successful under-15s side; and Tikira, who is part of this year's development squad (an 11-years team who have taken part in a few carnivals this year as an introduction to representative netball).
Karen has twin girls, Carissa and Teagan, who have both played for Westlakes at the representative level for many years and competed with the Westlakes open rep team this year.
Tracy starting her coaching career when her eldest daughter started playing netball at age 7 for Rathmines, and the very next year put her hand up for the role as assistant coach for the development squad.
She has been coaching at rep level ever since.
Karen got involved with coaching when her twin daughters started playing club netball with Rathmines at age 8.
Her involvement with rep coaching started in 2009 when the twins played in the Westlakes under-14s side.
Both coaches have an incredible passion for netball and for the team.
They have always placed an emphasis on the team's fitness, choosing to enter the team in the more competitive Sydney carnivals in preparation for the recent State Age Championships.
Tracy said that while the tough preparations certainly helped the team win the State Age title, it's the dogged determination and fitness of the team that got them over the line.
"They are so committed and have done everything we asked of them over the past four years, and this is just a great way to finish their junior years," she said.
Younger age groups
WESTLAKES District Netball Association’s under-12, -13 and -14 teams contested State Age Championships at Minto over the June long weekend. The under-12s finished 10th from 17 teams; the under-13s were eighth from 21 teams; and the under-14s had a massive weekend finishing in equal second position on points but were relegated to third by Nelson Bay on a countback. Coach Tara Culbert said the under-14s never gave up and pushed hard in every game.
