Natural flare not pressure helps Suns find mid-pack ladder position

THE Surf Coast Suns have found themselves pleasantly sitting mid-table almost halfway through their inaugural season.

After a disappointing round 1 performance, the side has secured three wins and is looking for a fourth this weekend.

Head coach Brendan White said the improvement within the team has been phenomenal.

“We’ve been told by a few spectators that have watched our games over the weeks ‘You guys are playing 30 to 40 better’, and I’d back that as coach,” White said.

“It’s a year of firsts. Every game that we play someone, they don’t know us, we don’t know them.

“We don’t even know what we’re going to produce on a given day. We’d like to think we do but the reality is, a new team in anything has its ups and downs. We’re happy we’ve won a few games and we’re going to keep trying to push up the ladder.”

White said a back-to-basics approach had allowed players’ personalities to shine on court.

As combinations have developed and confidence has grown, so too have the results.

With three wins on the board, the improvement is evident across the court.

In the opening quarter of their first game of the season, the Suns managed just two goals. Seven rounds later, captain and key shooter Elisa Hall leads the Bellarine Netball League hot-shot tally with 223 goals.

White said trusting the team to get the ball to her on court, and then trusting her under the ring, is all part of his coaching philosophy.

“Players have their natural flair,” he said. “Sometimes, when you over coach, they lose that natural ability.

“You want them to play on the edge.

“I like them to have fun. When they’re smiling, they’re having fun and they’ll naturally play at their best.”

Currently sixth on the Bellarine Netball League ladder, White believes the Suns can continue climbing. Not because the coaches are demanding it, but because the players are naturally competitive.

“I think players naturally go, ‘Oh, hang on, this is exciting. We’re in the middle of the table’ and want to push further,” White said.

“It doesn’t matter what sport we’re playing, we naturally, as winners, want to win again.”

Surf Coast Suns play Barwon Heads at Banyul-Warri Fields in round 9 of the BNL season.