Lions secure former Devil as player coach for 2025

BELMONT’S mission to feature in the 2025 Geelong & District Netball League (GDNL) finals has already begun, with the Lions unveiling its new A and B Grade coach.

The Lions unveiled former Corio playing coach Shayna Brown as its new coach earlier this month, and Brown is excited to bring her leadership to Winter Reserve.

“I think I had kind of done my job in Corio, I think I have left the club in a better position than when I found it and I just thought it was time for a change,” she said.

“I was prepared to move down to South Barwon just to play, but then I saw a few clubs were advertising for coaches and through my connections I was able to have some conversations with those clubs.

“Belmont is such an exciting club at the moment and they’re definitely on the up right now, so it’ll be great to be a part of that moving forward.”

Brown is a well-respected member of the Corio community, playing as a Devil for the past seven years.

She was also weighing up positions at Bannockburn and Thomson, but Belmont is also closer to her residence in Highton, which played a factor in the final decision.

“Kirsty Duynhoven and Caitlin Lamont were great helps throughout the conversations as well,” Brown said.

“I do naturally tend to provide a bit of a leadership role with the other netball coaches, and I always enjoy coaching the juniors, typically at the Under 13 level, as that’s where the foundations of a club’s netball program begin.”

Belmont shook up the GDNL A-Grade ladder in 2024, earning a 12-win and six-loss record in the home and away season to claim a top-four finish and make the finals for the first time since 2002.

Brown said that with some added depth and senior additions to the rotation, the Lions could be a key player in the finals picture again next season.

“From what I saw, it seemed Belmont did seem very set in their seven, which doesn’t work on a week-by-week basis if you’re going to make a deep finals run.

“Change can be tough for any club, but with the right pieces and a good pre-season from the girls, I believe this club can compete for a premiership.”

Belmont thanked outgoing coach Anthony Burton for his contributions to the club.