Albanvale has pulled off a massive coaching coup, locking in the biggest name in the Western Netball League as its co-coach for next season.
Rebecca Hicks joins the Cobras as coach for next season, crossing from Glen Orden.
This year she oversaw a Hawks program that had all seven teams make grand finals with six winning premierships, including the division 1 side.
She also coached Glen Orden division 1 to a premiership last season and has claimed the league’s highest playing award previously.
Hicks was recently named the league’s netball coach of the year.
She will be co-coach of the Cobras along with Rhiannon Reti, who has had coaching success in the men’s netball scene.
Hicks said she was looking forward to the new challenge.
“With me no longer coaching at Glen Orden and it just happened to come up [the Albanvale role] and they offered me a pretty good deal,” she said.
“I thought why not, I still want to coach on a Friday. I had to look for another opportunity, as I feel my coaching on Friday is not done yet.
“I feel I have so much more to offer.”
Hicks said the Cobras are a similar club to where Glen Orden were a couple of seasons ago.
She said the club’s vision going forward aligned with what she wanted to achieve and the club was willing to support her and help her grow the program.
“They’ve got the foundations already laid down,” she said. “Just need someone to come in and take them to the next level.”
Hicks admits there are mixed emotions leaving Glen Orden, having started her coaching career at the club and having had so much success.
“I built something amazing and had a lot of success,” she said. “To be leaving, bit upsetting but exciting for the new challenge ahead.”
Hicks said they would see what interest they had for sides and then go from there.
Cobras president Martin Bielski said the signing of the pair wasn’t just huge for the netball side of the club, but the club overall.
“Becca is one of the biggest names in the league,” he said. “This is big for the community and it was a no brainer to try and make it happen.
“It’s already the talk of the town.
“We were delighted when she agreed. For her to say, “I can make it happen if you can” is important.
“Hopefully it’ll transition into success at Albanvale.”
Reti will take on a lot of the midweek coaching side of things with Hicks moving out of the area and travelling back and forth to coach.
Bielski said it was really important to have someone to support Hicks to ensure the program is successful as it can be.
He said the playing group and the club was keen to take the next step with the program.
