Coutas secure coaching services of Australian Diamond

FRESH off making the BFL netball finals for the first time in 35 years, the Queenscliff Football Netball Club (QFNC) has secured the coaching services of a former Australian Diamond and international level netball coach.

QFNC has appointed Australian netball icon Jane Searle as their head coach for both A and B grades for the 2024 season.

Searle has over forty years of national netball experience both on and off the court and is a Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Hall of Fame member.

She notched up 25 playing appearances in the green and gold, including being named vice captain of the Australian squad in 1986, before switching to coaching in 1995.

Searle went on to head coach the Melbourne Kestrals for four years, West Coast Fever for three, and also became an assistant at the Adelaide Thunderbirds in the ANZ Championship, Commonwealth Bank Trophy and Suncorp Super League’s.

The Victorian Institute of Sport Hall of Fame member also has international experience as an assistant for team Australia, head coach of the Australian Fast5 Flyers team and led the Brunei National Team in 2018 and 2019.

Searle, who assisted Queenscliff as a mentor and high-performance coach during the 2023 season, said she was very excited to take on head coaching duties at the Coutas.

“I’ve been involved on and off for the last few years having been good friends with former president Lisa Peart.

“Essentially, it’s all flowed from there and this year I worked a bit more closely on selection and training, which I really enjoyed.

“When the opportunity came up to take on the head coaching duties from Katrina (Daws), who is having her second baby, I just jumped at it. It’s all gradually just fallen into place.

“I haven’t been involved with too many community clubs before, and just loved how good the community can be by getting around the team.

“They are just a fantastic group. They’re super keen to learn and have already developed a great culture.”

Searle said she hopes to help continue Queenscliff’s ascent up the ladder.

“To have made the finals for the first time in 35 years in 2023, was huge!

“I think the group has finally worked out how good they really can be.

“The players have pretty much all indicated they will stay.

“The team at Queenscliff is also o young, they’re mainly 20/21 years old and are already just fantastic people.

“It really excites me that ladies like Kaitlin Gladman at her age are doing what they’re already doing!”

“I can’t wait to see where we can go.”

Searle will balance her commitments at Queenscliff with coaching duties at the Southern Saints in the Victorian Netball League in 2024.