Mount Isa had the chance to welcome players from the Queensland Firebirds just weeks out from the start of the new netball season.
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The Queensland Firebirds' Regional Tour saw members of the 2021 squad travel to seven locations around Queensland on the weekend of April 17-18.
Lara Dunkley and Rudi Ellis came to Mount Isa and held netball clinics for the Mount Isa Netball Association all weekend.
Dunkley said they were delighted to be in Mount Isa.
"We had an early morning flight out of Brisbane on Saturday and we've been touring around," Dunkley said.
"It's incredible, the people here are phenomenal."
As well as seeing local sights like Lake Moondarra and enjoying the red earth of the North West, the duo have been running clinics all weekend at Wellington Oval.
"We are trying to teach the basics," Ellis said.
Dunkley said she grew up in a small town in Victoria so she was pleased to be assigned to the Mount Isa clinic.
"Small communities are so powerful and coming from the country you've got to grab every opportunity with both hands," she said.
"The girls who came to our clinic did that and showed that never-give-up attitude."
Dunkley and Ellis held netball clinics for the Mount Isa Netball Association all weekend.
Both players said there was plenty of future Firebird potential on offer in Mount Isa.
"Across the two days it's been amazing with the skill levels and all the girls are so enthusiastic," Ellis said.
The tour is a break from the practice matches the Firebirds have been playing two weeks out from the start of the new season.
Queensland Firebirds Head Coach, Megan Anderson, believes the tour will provide her side with added incentive on the eve of the season.
"The Firebirds have proudly represented Queensland in netball's national leagues for 25 years now and it's important to acknowledge the passion, loyalty and contribution of our Purple Family all across the state," Anderson said.
"We love the fact that regardless of whether they are in Brisbane or Mount Isa our fans are united in Purple - we are Queensland's team and we play for all of Queensland."
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
