Netball star Browne finds home in Torquay

NEW Torquay netball head coach Madison Browne is loving life in the seaside town.

The former Australian Diamonds gun moved to Torquay with her partner Harry Whitty and 15-month-old son Judd in October last year after being in Melbourne for about 15 years.

“I love Torquay… it’s so nice to be home and with a small family building relationships within a community that will be long lasting,” she said.

“This is where he’s [Judd’s] going to go to school and things like that.

“I’m really enjoying it down here. I love that it takes me five minutes to get places and I’m not stuck in 50 minutes of traffic. I’m really enjoying it and everyone’s been really welcoming.”

Browne, who was born and bred in Geelong, is taking on the juggling act of being a new mum and head coach of a big BFL club and feels well supported.

“The club’s being really supportive in saying ‘You know what, if you need any assistance, there’s that many hands on deck that are prepared to take your children and help, and find that support’ so I can come and do my job and really enjoy it and immerse myself and not have to stress.

“That’s just blown me away, how they’ve just opened their arms and said ‘It’s not just about you, Mads, it’s about you and your family and supporting them as well’.”

 

Browne also has a village of family support as her parents live in Geelong and her partner’s parents are across the bay in Mornington.

She talked about being among other young families in Torquay and the comfort that had provided.

“There’s so many kids around here and I think it’s just even been nice for me to be around young families.

“Being in Melbourne, I was obviously a bit isolated, not amongst family [and] friends not having children and things like that.

“So it’s nice to come down and just be around like-minded people that you [can] call up and you say, ‘I need this and I need that’ and they go ‘yep, no worries, we’ll drop it off’. It’s just nice to be there for everyone.”

Browne said family would always come first and she loved having netball coaching and Super Netball commentating as outlets.

“It gives me lots of energy. It makes me have just something for me to be able to focus on, use my brain and

get outside.

“I’m a real people person so just connecting with people has been really good for me.”