Julie Fitzgerald

Julia Fitzgerald AM
Personal information
Full name Julie Fitzgerald
Coaching career
Years Team(s)
1994–1996 Sydney Ku-ring-gai/Cenovis
1997–2007 Sydney Swifts
2008–2011 New South Wales Swifts
2009 → World 7
2011–2013 Australian Institute of Sport
2013–2016 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
2016– Giants Netball

Julie Fitzgerald AM is a veteran Australian netball coach. Between 1997 and 2007, Fitzgerald served as head coach of Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She guided Swifts to premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. Between 2008 and 2011, she served as head coach of New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. In 2008, she guided Swifts to the inaugural ANZ Championship title. Between 2014 and 2016, she guided Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic to the Finals Series every year in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Fitzgerald has served as head coach of Giants Netball in Suncorp Super Netball, guiding them to two grand finals and two minor championships. In 2020, Fitzgerald was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Early life and family

Fitzgerald is originally from Sydney, growing up in Hornsby Shire. She started playing netball in Hornsby Heights when she was about eight years old. She is a single parent to four children – Katie, Kristie, Vicky and John – and is a resident of Wahroonga.[1][2][3][4][5]

Head coach

New South Wales

Between 1985 and 1999, Fitzgerald served as head coach of various New South Wales teams that played in the Australian National Netball Championships at under-19, under-21 and open levels.[6][7]

Sydney Ku-ring-gai/Cenovis

At state league level, Fitzgerald served as head coach of a team that represented the Ku-ring-gai area. She had previously coached several junior representative teams for the Ku-ring-gai Netball Association. Between 1994 and 1996, Fitzgerald served as head coach of the Sydney Ku-ring-gai/Cenovis team in the Mobil Superleague. The team featured a young Liz Ellis and Catherine Cox. In 1994 and 1996 they were Mobil Superleague semi-finalists.[1][6][8][9][10]

Sydney Swifts

Between 1997 and 2007, Fitzgerald served as head coach of Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. With teams featuring Liz Ellis, Catherine Cox and Megan Anderson, she guided Swifts to premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. In 2004, 2006 and 2007 she was named Netball Australia Coach of the Year.[1][11][12][13][14][15][16]

New South Wales Swifts

Between 2008 and 2011, Fitzgerald served as head coach of New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship.[1][2][3] In 2008 she guided Swifts to the premiership and was named Australian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year.[6][17] On 18 May 2009, she took charge of her 200th combined Sydney Swifts/NSW Swifts match when Swifts played Queensland Firebirds in Round 7.[18][19] In 2010 she guided Swifts to the minor premiership.[20][21] 2011 was the last season that Fitzgerald served as Swifts' head coach. Following a controversial "internal review" conducted during the 2011 season by Netball New South Wales, she was replaced by Lisa Beehag.[10][22][23][24]

World 7

Fitzgerald served as head coach of a World 7 team that defeated New Zealand 2–1 in the 2009 Taini Jamison Trophy Series. Lisa Alexander served as Fitzgerald's assistant during the series.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

Australian Institute of Sport

Between 2011 and 2013, Fitzgerald served as head netball coach at the Australian Institute of Sport. In 2012 she guided an AIS team to fourth in the Australian Netball League.[16][32][33][34][35]

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic

In July 2013, Fitzgerald was appointed head coach of Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.[36][37] Between 2014 and 2016, she guided Magic to the Finals Series every year in the ANZ Championship.[38][39] While Magic head coach, she was also named head coach of the 2014 ANZ Championship All Star Team.[40][41][42] In both 2015 and 2016, Fitzgerald guided Magic to the New Zealand Conference titles.[43][44] On 27 June 2016, at a 2016 Round 13 match against Queensland Firebirds, Fitzgerald coached her 100th ANZ Championship match.[45][46]

Giants Netball

In August 2016, Fitzgerald was announced as head coach of Netball New South Wales's new franchise.[44][47][48][49] Since 2017, Fitzgerald has served as head coach of Giants Netball in Suncorp Super Netball.[1][2][3] In 2017 she guided them to the grand final.[50][51] In 2018 she guided Giants to the minor premiership. During the 2018 season Fitzgerald also coached her 300th senior league match.[1][52][53] In 2020, Fitzgerald was made a Member of the Order of Australia.[4][54][55][56] In 2021, Fitzgerald guided Giants to both a second minor premiership and a second grand final.[57] During the season she coached her 350th senior league match.[2] The grand final was her 360th in charge.[5]

Assistant coach

Australia

Fitzgerald has worked with the Australia national netball team as both an assistant and development coach. In 2006 Fitzgerald served as an assistant to Lisa Alexander with the Australia under-21 team.[13] Between 2011 and 2013 she served as Alexander's assistant at various series and tournaments including the 2011 World Netball Series and 2012 Fast5 Netball World Series.[35][58][59] In 2019 Fitzgerald was appointed as head coach of Netball Australia's athlete development program.[60] In 2021 she was re-appointed to the role.[61]

NSWIS

In July 2017, alongside Rob Wright, Fitzgerald served as an assistant coach to Briony Akle as she coached the New South Wales Institute of Sport team that finished third in the 2017 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. The NSWIS team was a composite team featuring players from both New South Wales Swifts and Giants Netball.[51][62][63]

Basketball

As well as being a netball coach, Fitzgerald has also been a local basketball administrator. Between 1996 and 2007 she worked as a general manager for the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Basketball Association. During the mid‑1990s she helped establish Hornsby Spiders Basketball Club.[3][4][64]

Honours

Coach

Giants Netball
Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
New South Wales Swifts
World 7
Sydney Swifts

Individual awards

Year Award
2004 Netball Australia Coach of the Year Award[12]
2006 Netball Australia Coach of the Year Award[13][15]
2007 Netball Australia Coach of the Year Award[14][15]
2008 Australian ANZ Championship Coach of the Year[6]
2014 ANZ Championship All Star Coach[40][41]
2015 New Zealand ANZ Championship Coach of the Year[65][66]
2016 New Zealand ANZ Championship Coach of the Year[66][67]
2019 Netball NSW Life Membership[54]
2020 Member of the Order of Australia[4][54][55][56]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "A true giant: Julie Fitzgerald set to coach 300th game". www.smh.com.au. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "Julie Fitzgerald reaches 350 games as a top-flight coach". www.theinnersanctum.com.au. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Former Swifts and inaugural Giants netball coach Julie Fitzgerald nominee for NSW Woman of the Year". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Matt Kean (10 August 2020). "Tribute to Julie Fitzgerald OAM". mattkean.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Master coach Fitzgerald still the boss". thewest.com.au. 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "2008 Annual Report - Netball Australia" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Netball New South Wales – 2019 Annual Report" (PDF). nsw.netball.com.au. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Esso/Mobil Superleague 1985-1996 (page 2)". netballscoop.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Esso/Mobil Superleague 1985-1996 (page 3)". netballscoop.com. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  10. ^ a b "NSW Swifts: an unhappy history and a fresh start". www.theguardian.com. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Sydney Swifts - 1997-2007". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Netball Australia - Annual Report 04" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  13. ^ a b c "Netball Australia - Annual Report 06" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Netball Australia – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  15. ^ a b c "Netball NSW – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Fitzgerald appointed head coach of AIS Netball Program". www.ausport.gov.au. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
  17. ^ "NSW Swifts - 2008 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  18. ^ "NSW Swifts - 2009 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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  20. ^ "NSW Swifts - 2010 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  21. ^ "2010 Netball NSW Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Review that resulted in Fitzgerald's dumping put Swifts off their game: Cox". www.smh.com.au. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2012.
  23. ^ "NSW Swifts - 2011 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Netball NSW and NSW Swifts – 2011 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  25. ^ "World 7 team named to meet Silver Ferns". www.netballnz.co.nz. 10 July 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
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  27. ^ "World 7 beat Silver Ferns again". stuff.co.nz. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  28. ^ "Milestone test tonight in Rotorua". www.netballnz.co.nz. 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  29. ^ "Netball: Second loss sets off alarm bells for Ferns". www.nzherald.co.nz. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  30. ^ "Julie Fitzgerald". photosportnz.photoshelter.com. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  31. ^ "Netball: Gutsy Ferns win in thriller". www.nzherald.co.nz. 29 August 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  32. ^ "2011 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  33. ^ "2012 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  34. ^ "2013 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  35. ^ a b "Diamonds add sparkle to coaching support staff". womensportreport.com. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  36. ^ "Julie Fitzgerald named as new Magic coach". stuff.co.nz. 5 July 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  37. ^ "Timely Change for new Magic Coach". www.netballnz.co.nz. 16 December 2013. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  38. ^ "Fitzgerald to step down as Magic coach". www.netballnz.co.nz. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  39. ^ "NZ loses another coach to Australia". www.odt.co.nz. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  40. ^ a b "2014 ANZ Championship All-Star team named". www.netballnz.co.nz. 19 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  41. ^ a b "2014 ANZ Championship All-Star team named". www.rnz.co.nz. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  42. ^ "Netball: Julie Fitzgerald re-signs with Magic". www.nzherald.co.nz. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  43. ^ "Waikato-BOP Magic coach Julie Fitzgerald believes young players are ready to deliver". stuff.co.nz. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  44. ^ a b "Julie Fitzgerald leaves Waikato-BOP Magic to head up new franchise in Sydney". stuff.co.nz. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  45. ^ "Julie Fitzgerald 'absolutely blessed' to coach 100 trans-Tasman league games". stuff.co.nz. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  46. ^ "Waikato-BOP Magic outplayed by Queensland Firebirds in trans-Tasman netball league". stuff.co.nz. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  47. ^ "Julie Fitzgerald returns to Netball NSW as head coach of new team". www.smh.com.au. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  48. ^ "Former Swifts coach Julie Fitzgerald to helm new netball team backed by AFL Giants". www.dailytelegraph.com.au. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  49. ^ "Fitzgerald excited by new team venture". giantsnetball.com.au. 25 October 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  50. ^ "2017 (GIANTS Netball)". giantsnetball.com.au. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  51. ^ a b "Netball NSW – 2017 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  52. ^ "2018 (GIANTS Netball)". giantsnetball.com.au. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  53. ^ "Netball NSW – 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  54. ^ a b c "Julie Fitzgerald Recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours List". giantsnetball.com.au. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  55. ^ a b "Fitzgerald in Queen's Birthday Honours". www.gwsgiants.com.au. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  56. ^ a b "Academy Director Awarded Member of the Order of Australia". www.wsas.com.au. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  57. ^ "2021 Grand Final Wrap". supernetball.com.au. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  58. ^ "2011 Annual Report – Netball Australia" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  59. ^ "Netball Australia Annual Report 2012" (PDF). netball.com.au. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  60. ^ "Fitzgerald To Lead Athlete Development Program". diamonds.netball.com.au. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  61. ^ "Fitzgerald to lead Australian Development Squad". netball.com.au. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  62. ^ "NSWIS" (PDF). www.netballnz.co.nz. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  63. ^ "Netball Super Club team takes NSWIS to New Zealand". www.nswis.com.au. 26 June 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  64. ^ "Julie Fitzgerald AM". au.linkedin.com. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  65. ^ "Langman crowned inaugural Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award winner". www.silverferns.co.nz. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  66. ^ a b "New Zealand Netball Awards – Winners". nznetballawards.co.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  67. ^ "Langman claims her second Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award". www.netballnz.co.nz. 3 November 2016. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.