![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2023\/11\/114-9.jpg\")
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Having spent her formative years as a netballer at the Millicent Netball Club, Lucy Denton is no stranger to success. She has a trophy cabinet full of premiership medals from 13 & Under through to A Grade and there is also best on court medallions and association best and fairest trophies<\/p>\n
But Lucy (pictured right at Garville\u2019s season launch & below with silver medal from 2022 national championships) is an athlete on a mission as part of South Australia\u2019s 19 & Under State netball team competing at the national championships in Darwin this week after the same team, of which Lucy has been vice captain for the 2022 and this year\u2019s campaign, fell just short of gold last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so hungry to win it this year being so close and not being able to finish the week last year with a gold medal did hurt and I look back at that week and that game taking away so many learnings,\u201d Lucy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cLucky for a few of us from last year\u2019s team we are able to have another crack at it again which we are all so excited and ready for.\u201d And being part of the leadership team again means Lucy has been looking to lead the way for the 2023 campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have tried to lead the way by giving 100% all the time on and off the court,\u201d Lucy said.<\/p>\n
It is a work ethic learnt from one of the best \u2013 her mother Donna Denton \u2013 and while Lucy is grateful for the grounding she was able to gain from her mother, she has also enjoyed hearing new voices as she looks to make her mark at the elite level.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously everyone that knows me knows how much my mum has had an impact on my netball so far and I\u2019m so grateful for her and what she has taught me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an easy transition from being coached by mum to then being coached by the Garville coaches. They were very welcoming and made me feel at home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucy\u2019s 19 & Under State coach Amanda Shattock has had a huge influence on Lucy through her State representative career over the past five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is definitely one of those coaches that brings out the best in people,\u201d she said. \u201cThe other person that has had an influence on my netball is Jenny Borlase. She was my SASI coach when I<\/p>\n
first moved to Adelaide and was someone that believed in me as a player from the get go and seen something in me as a player that I didn\u2019t see in myself.\u201d Lucy has also benefited from her first full season playing in both the Premier League and reserves competition in 2022 \u2013 the increase in intensity has forced her to continually develop her own game.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always strived to play at a high standard and every game at this level feels like you\u2019re playing a grand final,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel as the intensity is so high you just have to be on top of your game all the time and I think with that comes consistency and I think towards the end of that season that\u2019s where I saw the most improvement of being consistent in how I play.\u201d<\/p>\n
The preparation for the nationals has not been smooth sailing with the 19 & Under team as the team has battled injuries but the chance to be part of the Premier League Pre-Season Cup at the beginning of this month, gave the team a chance to really blow out the cobwebs and work on combinations.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone was able to hit the court and get so consistent game time and I think everything just started to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lucy Denton looking to lead South Australia to national title Having spent her formative years as a netballer at the Millicent Netball Club, Lucy Denton is no stranger to success. She has a trophy cabinet full of premiership medals from 13 & Under through to A Grade and there is also best on court medallions […]<\/p>\n