Netball: Player burnout feared in hectic year

Netball New Zealand CEO Raelene Castle said 'At the end of the day if our athletes aren't in the best condition then that's not good for us either.' Photo / Brett Phibbs

Netball bosses here and across the Tasman face big challenges trying to find a balance for players as the sport strives to become fully professional.

The Silver Ferns and Australian Diamonds have a packed international calendar this year as they build towards the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and concerns have been raised that Netball New Zealand and its Australian counterparts are asking too much of their players.

The Australian Netball Players' Association has told Netball Australia a draft plan that required top players to be available for almost two months in September and October, following the gruelling ANZ Championship season, was not workable.

While there have been no official concerns raised here, New Zealand Netball Players' Association manager Tim Lythe said it was something he was keeping his eye on.

The Silver Ferns have eight tests already locked in for this year, but are in negotiations to play up to three more against Jamaica in the Caribbean after the World Netball Series in October.

"I guess there are the same concerns as any other sport - player burnout is something we have to be wary of, particularly now in the semi-professional era with the ANZ Champs," said Lythe.

Netball New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle said the organisation worked hard to ensure top players were not being overloaded.

"We have a strong relationship with the New Zealand Players' Association, so we discuss all the scheduling with them and make sure we fit within the players' agreement and meet the stand-down times and recuperation periods required," said Castle.

"At the end of the day if our athletes aren't in the best condition then that's not good for us either.

"But we are moving into a professional era and the players are being paid and because of that they need to have some longer commitments than perhaps they did in the past when they were amateurs."

While player welfare was the primary concern for Kiwi players, the crux of the issue across the Tasman appeared to be money.

Australian Netball Players' Association director John-Paul Blandthorn last week told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper the Diamonds' international programme was too much of a drain on players who had to work to support their careers.

"Because they are semi-professional and a lot of them have other work commitments, it's a big strain on the employer and the players who are paying mortgages," said Blandthorn.

"I don't think the players would honestly mind going for the full eight weeks if they were paid a substantial whack."

Netball Australia chief executive Kate Palmer said her organisation shared many of the same concerns as the players' association.

She said managing player workload with the thrust towards a fully professional environment was a difficult balancing act.

"Certainly something that Netball Australia is concerned about is how quickly netball is moving towards professionalism and how we can support that while ensuring we don't ask too much our athletes."

Palmer said Netball Australia would work with individual athletes to make sure that if they needed to be at work or they couldn't take leave, their future selection chances would not be harmed.