Building the right culture key to Strikers' future Victorian Netball League success

The Strikers were officially announced as one of the state league competition's three newest clubs at Red Energy Arena in Bendigo on Monday.

They will be joined by the Gippsland Stars and the Melton-based Western Warriors.

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The announcement capped a nearly 10-year battle for Bendigo to be granted a Victorian Netball League licence.

The news was met with immediate excitement by the Strikers' interim board and the region's netball and wider sporting communities.

While the new team's colours and logo are expected to be unveiled later this week, attention for the interim board will quickly turn to finding a coach and forming a playing squad.

Despite not having a team of its own until this week, the region already has a high-profile presence in the league.

Roughly 25 BFNL-listed players participated in the VNL this season at either championship, division one or 19-and-under level.

And nearly 30 per cent of the current VNL player pool is made up of players from regional areas.

While negotiations on signings can not take place until October, the board has foreshadowed it will leave no stone unturned in its desire to assemble a quality playing list.

There will inevitably be interest in many of those Bendigo athletes already in the VNL system.

"I think that's where it comes back to building the right culture, building the right environment and demonstrating that we have not just a board that is really committed to building something sustainable, but certainly making sure we go through that process and bringing in coaches that will ensure we provide that professional and high-level environment," interim board secretary Teigan Redwood said on Monday.

"Bendigo and the region has a lot of athletes that are already competing at that VNL level and certainly some that perhaps we don't even know about.

"Certainly the talent is there. Netball in Bendigo and the region has been strong for a long time."

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The inclusion of the Strikers and Gippsland Stars boosts the number of teams competing in the VNL to three.

Speaking from her own personal experience, Redwood - a former VNL player and also the head coach at the Bendigo Academy of Sport - knows only too well the barriers confronting aspiring elite athletes from the country.

"I went through the same process where I was travelling three times a week (to Melbourne) while studying and working and it had an impact on me," she said.

"To know that we can offer that opportunity now, not just to players, but coaches, umpires and administrators, without that impost of travel and the associated costs is just a huge relief."

The advent of three new clubs will coincide with a restructure of the VNL competition in 2024.

The league will move to a two-tier competition comprising the championship and under-23.

Netball Victoria president Carol Cathcart said the inclusion of Bendigo and Gippsland, in particular, was an opportunity to expand the game's reach in Victoria and to smooth the pathway for regional athletes.

"Bendigo provides that opportunity for all of the people in the region to come in and play here and be part of a team without having to travel," she said.

"It's much easier to come from Swan Hill to Bendigo to train and then be able to go to Melbourne and play, then it is to actually go down to a team in Melbourne for training and playing.

"Bendigo will want to put the best team it possibly can together, (but) also make sure we provide an opportunity for players within country Victoria to get a chance to play in what is our premier competition in Victoria.

Given her Bendigo ties and role as president, Cathcart declared a conflict of interest and had no involvement in either the decision to grant a licence or formulating the Strikers' bid.

She nevertheless declared Monday's decision 'a proud day for Bendigo netball'.

"It just goes to show what a great bid that they (Bendigo) put together and how much work they've done," she said.

"They deserve this. Bendigo deserves this and it's a great opportunity for our players."

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