Brown fires-up Vixens
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Joyce Brown is more than a legend of the game.
The coach mentor claimed the room at the Melbourne Vixens Most Valuable Player Awards, no small feat with netball super stars Sharelle McMahon and Bianca Chatfield sharing the same space.
The club patron and, this year, the Vixens Best Club Person, Brown told the Vixens what they had done wrong in 2011.
They listened. We all did.
She stood at the podium, slightly windswept from the walk to the Docklands restaurant, Sumac, in a heavily embroidered cape.
"If Queensland were the bench mark," she said. "Then what I saw of that team, was a team. Not individuals. And that makes the difference."
As we all digested that, there came another pearl, as always delivered with the mastery of someone used to holding athletes captive using their ears and minds, and the power of the pause.
"There are some here who are working on that, but this team is talented, and the skills I see at training leave me breathless," she said.
Netball Victoria President Jenny Sanchez had opened the proceedings with a strongly worded rally, fired off the cuff, no notes. Sanchez is the type of Board Director who knows the game, the players, the backroom staff, and cares deeply.
"If anyone here thought they did enough, were good enough this year, they had better leave," she said.
"We know where the mark is, and if anyone thought we got there, you're wrong."
Sanchez tempered her speech with gratitude to Vixens head coach Julie Hoornweg for her work in erecting the "best system in Australia." A point at which all the players nodded their assent.
Sanchez also thanked Browne for her dedication to netball.
It was Brown who chose a 16 year old Bianca Chatfield for an early elite squad, and there was no doubt that the defender's award win today delighted the club patron.
"I've never won anything at any of my clubs before, so I'm happy," Chatfield said.
Geelong's Madison Browne collected the runner-up trophy.
In other awards, Julie Corletto won the coaches gong for her return to the elite level after surgery.
Chelsey Tregear won the award for best achivement in sport and life, as she juggles a busy podiatry practice with study and training.
Here's a full list of the awards:
2011 Melbourne Vixens
Most Valuable Player
Bianca Chatfield
2011 Melbourne Vixens
Runner Up Most Valuable Player
Madison Browne
2011 Melbourne Vixens
Coaches Award
Julie Corletto
2011 Melbourne Vixens
Excellence in Sport & Life Award
Chelsey Tregear
2011 Melbourne Vixens
Best Club Person
Joyce Brown
2011 Melbourne Vixens Milestone Awards
Geva Mentor
50 ANZ Championship Games
Round 5 Melbourne Vixens Vs West Coast Fever
SNHC, Saturday 12th March 2011
Carol Byers
50 ANZ Championship Games Assistant Coach
Round 8 Melbourne Vixens Vs Southern Steel
Hisense Arena, Sunday 3rd April 2011
Bianca Chatfield
50 ANZ Championship Games
Round 9 Melbourne Vixens Vs Adelaide Thunderbirds
Hisense Arena, Sunday 10th April 2011
Kate Beveridge
50 ANZ Championship Games
Round 9 Melbourne Vixens Vs Adelaide Thunderbirds
Hisense Arena, Sunday 10th April 2011
Renae Hallinan
50 ANZ Championship Games
Round 9 Melbourne Vixens Vs Adelaide Thunderbirds
Hisense Arena, Sunday 10th April 2011
Julie Hoornweg
50 ANZ Championship Games - Coach
Round 9 Melbourne Vixens Vs Adelaide Thunderbirds
Hisense Arena, Sunday 10th April 2011
Julie Hoornweg
100 Games - Coach
Round 10 West Coast Fever Vs Melbourne Vixens
Challenge Stadium, Sunday 17th April 2011
Chelsey Tregear
100 Games
Round 12 Melbourne Vixens Vs NSW Swifts
Hisense Arena, Sunday 10th April 2011
