Abbey McCulloch

Last updated

Abbey McCulloch
Personal information
Full nameAbbey McCulloch
Born (1990-02-12) 12 February 1990 (age 34) [1] [2]
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height 178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
School Endeavour Sports High School
University University of Western Sydney
RMIT University
Occupation Teacher
Relatives Kaarle McCulloch (sister)
Netball career
Playing position(s): WD, C, GD
YearsClub team(s)Apps
2009–2011 NNSW Blues 22
2012 NNSW Waratahs 11
2013 Queensland Firebirds 11
2014–2018 New South Wales Swifts 43
2017–2019 Sutherland Stingrays
2018–2019 NNSW Waratahs
Coaching career
YearsTeam(s)
2018–2020 Ascham School
2020– Westfields Sports High School
2020– Sutherland Stingrays U23s

Abbey McCulloch (born 12 February 1990) is an Australian former netball player. Between 2014 and 2018, McCulloch played for New South Wales Swifts. She captained Swifts during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. She previously played for NNSW Waratahs and Queensland Firebirds.

Contents

Early life, family and education

McCulloch is originally from Bowral in the Southern Highlands. Her family later settled in the Sutherland Shire. [1] [3] [4] Her older sister, Kaarle McCulloch, represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics as a cyclist. [5] [6] [7] Abbey and Kaarle both attended Endeavour Sports High School. [3] [8] [9] [10] Between 2008 and 2012 she attended the University of Western Sydney where she gained a Bachelor of Business and Commerce in Sport Management and a Master of Teaching. In 2014 she gained a Diploma of Career Development from RMIT University. [2] [11]

Playing career

New South Wales

Between 2006 and 2011, McCulloch represented New South Wales in the Australian National Netball Championships at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels, winning six consecutive national titles. [1] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Australian Netball League

Between 2009 and 2012, McCulloch played for both NNSW Blues and NNSW Waratahs in the Australian Netball League. Between 2009 and 2011 she made 22 appearances for the Blues. In 2012 she made 11 appearances for the Waratahs. She was vice captain of the Waratahs team that were the 2012 ANL runners up. [1] [11] [13] [14] [15] [16] In 2019, McCulloch finished her senior playing career with Waratahs in the ANL. She was a member of the Waratahs team that were the 2019 ANL runners up. She announced her retirement shortly after playing for Waratahs in the grand final. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Queensland Firebirds

McCulloch played for Queensland Firebirds during the 2013 ANZ Championship season. Together with Kim Ravaillion and Gabi Simpson, she made her ANZ Championship and Firebirds debut in a Round 1 match against Southern Steel. She went onto make 11 ANZ Championship appearances for Firebirds and helped them reach the 2013 grand final. [1] [3] [11] [22] [23] [24]

New South Wales Swifts

Between 2014 and 2018, McCulloch made 44 appearances for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship and Suncorp Super Netball. [1] [2] [25] [26] Together with Sharni Layton and Caitlin Thwaites, she made her Swifts debut in the 2014 ANZ Championship Round 1 match against West Coast Fever. [27] McCulloch was a member of the Swifts teams that were ANZ Championship runners up in both 2015 and 2016. [28] [29] [30] [31] She captained Swifts during the 2017 and 2018 seasons and in 2018 was named the NSW Swifts Players' Player of the Year. [3] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] In September 2018 it was announced that McCulloch would miss the 2019 Suncorp Super Netball season because of a knee injury. [37] [38] [39] [40] She subsequently played for NNSW Waratahs during the 2019 season before announcing her retirement as a netball player in July 2019. [20] [21] [41]

Teacher and netball coach

McCulloch is a secondary school teacher. Since 2012 she has worked for the NSW Department of Education. She has worked at several schools in the Sydney area including her own former school, Endeavour Sports High School and Leumeah High School. [3] [11] [42] [43] [44] Between 2018 and 2020 she served as head of netball at Ascham School. In 2020 she was appointed head of netball at Westfields Sports High School. [2] [11]

Since 2017, McCulloch has served as a player-coach with Sutherland Stingrays in the Netball NSW Premier League. In October 2020 she was appointed head coach of their under-23 team. [21] [45] [46] [47] In March 2020 she was appointed assistant coach at the QBE Swifts Academy. [48] She also owns her own coaching company, Per4orm Netball [11] [49]

McCulloch has also worked as a sideline commentator for Nine Network. [2]

Honours

New South Wales Swifts
Queensland Firebirds
NNSW Waratahs
New South Wales
Individual

Related Research Articles

Samantha May, also known as Sam May, is a former Australian netball player who played for Hertfordshire Mavericks, Wasps and Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Superleague, featuring in five grand finals in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, winning three times. In Australia, May played for Sydney Swifts and AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New South Wales Swifts</span> Australian netball team

New South Wales Swifts are an Australian professional netball team based in Sydney, New South Wales. Since 2017 they have represented Netball New South Wales in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. The team was formed in 2007 when Netball New South Wales merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Sydney Swifts and Hunter Jaegers. In 2008, Swifts were the inaugural ANZ Championship winners. Swifts were also grand finalists in 2015 and 2016. They won their second and third premierships in 2019 and 2021.

Megan Anderson, also known as Megan McWilliams and previously known as Megan Dehn, is a former Australia netball international and current netball coach. Between 2000 and 2006 she made 20 senior appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia team that won the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. During the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, Anderson was a member of Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2001, 2004, 2006 and 2007. During the ANZ Championship era, she played for Southern Steel and Northern Mystics. After retiring as a player in 2011, she became a coach. In 2020 Anderson was appointed head coach of Queensland Firebirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Bulley</span> Australia netball international

Rebecca Bulley, also known as Rebecca Strachan, is a former Australia netball international and current netball coach. Between 2008 and 2015 she made 42 senior appearances for Australia. Bulley was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 2015 Netball World Cup and the silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Bulley also won three ANZ Championship titles with three different teams – the 2008 New South Wales Swifts, the 2013 Adelaide Thunderbirds and the 2015 Queensland Firebirds. She began her senior club career with Melbourne Kestrels during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era and finished it playing for Giants Netball in Suncorp Super Netball.

Vanessa Ware is a former Australian netball player. Between 2003 and 2007 she played for Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She was a member of the Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2004, 2006, 2007. Between 2008 and 2013 she played for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. She was a member of the Swifts team that won the 2008 ANZ Championship. She also represented Australia at under-19, under-21 and Fast5 levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amorette Wild</span> Australian netball player

Amorette Wild, also known as Amy Wild, is a former Australian netball player. Wild played for both New South Wales Swifts and Queensland Firebirds during the ANZ Championship era. She was a member of the Firebirds team that won the 2015 ANZ Championship. She also represented Australia at under-19, under-21 and Fast5 levels.

The 2011 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2011 ANZ Championship. During the regular season, Swifts finished in third place. They qualified for the playoffs but subsequently lost to Northern Mystics in the minor semi-final, finishing the season in 4th place. After fifteen seasons as Sydney Swifts/New South Wales Swifts head coach, this was the last season Julie Fitzgerald served as head coach. Following a controversial "internal review", Fitzgerald was replaced as head coach by Lisa Beehag. The review was conducted during the 2011 season. Catherine Cox and Liz Ellis publicly criticized Netball New South Wales for distracting players with the review and even alleged that it was responsible for Swifts losing the 2011 minor semi-final.

The 2012 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. They were coached by Lisa Beehag, a former Australia international. During the 2011 season, Beehag had served as head coach of NNSW Blues in the Australian Netball League. During the regular season, Swifts finished in fifth place and failed to qualify for the playoffs. They narrowly missed out on the playoffs after a 50–49 defeat to Northern Mystics in their final regular season match.

The 2012 Adelaide Thunderbirds season saw Adelaide Thunderbirds compete in the 2012 ANZ Championship. After winning nine games doing the regular season, Thunderbirds finished fourth and qualified for the play-offs. However they subsequently lost the minor semi-final 49–48 to the eventual overall champions, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.

The 2013 ANZ Championship season was the sixth season of the ANZ Championship. The 2013 season began on 24 March and concluded on 14 July. With a team captained by Natalie von Bertouch and featuring Erin Bell, Carla Borrego, Renae Hallinan, Rebecca Bulley and Sharni Layton, the Adelaide Thunderbirds won both the minor premiership and the overall championship. Having previously won the 2010 ANZ Championship, the Thunderbirds became the first team to win a second championship. The Thunderbirds secured the minor premiership with a 64–48 win over Northern Mystics in Round 13. They subsequently defeated Melbourne Vixens 49–39 in the major semi-final and Queensland Firebirds 50–48 in the grand final to win the championship.

The 2014 ANZ Championship season was the seventh season of the ANZ Championship. The 2014 season began on 1 March and concluded on 22 June. With a team coached by Simone McKinnis, captained by Bianca Chatfield and also featuring Tegan Caldwell, Geva Mentor, Madison Robinson and Catherine Cox, Melbourne Vixens won both the minor premiership and the overall championship. Vixens defeated Queensland Firebirds in both the major semi-final and the grand final as they won their second premiership. They won their first in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steph Wood</span> Australia netball international

Stephanie Fretwell, previously known as Stephanie Wood, is a former Australia netball international, who currently plays for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Super Netball competition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Ravaillion</span> Australia netball international (born 1993)

Kimberley Ravaillion, is an Australia netball international. Ravaillion was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Netball World Cup and the silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In January 2013, aged 19, she made her senior debut for Australia during an away series against England. This saw Ravaillion make her senior test debut before making her top-level league debut. Her first game for Queensland Firebirds came two months later. She was subsequently a member of the Firebirds teams that won the 2015 and 2016 ANZ Championships. Between 2017 and 2019 she played for Collingwood Magpies in Suncorp Super Netball. After missing the 2020 season due to pregnancy, Ravaillion rejoined Queensland Firebirds for the 2021 season.

Samantha Poolman, also known as Sam Poolman, is a former Australian netball player. Between 2010 and 2015, Poolman played for NNSW Blues, NNSW Waratahs and Southern Force in the Australian Netball League. Between 2013 and 2016, she played for Adelaide Thunderbirds in the ANZ Championship. She was a member of the Thunderbirds team that won the 2013 ANZ Championship. Between 2017 and 2021, Poolman has played for Giants in Suncorp Super Netball.

Netball New South Wales Waratahs is an Australian netball team that represents Netball New South Wales in the Australian Netball League. In 2008 they were founder members of the ANL. They were ANL champions in 2011 and have been grand finalists on a further five occasions, making them the second most successful team in the ANL after Victorian Fury. Waratahs are effectively the reserve team of New South Wales Swifts.

The 2014 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2014 ANZ Championship. Rob Wright replaced Lisa Beehag as head coach. Swifts finished the regular season in third place but subsequently lost to Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the minor semi-final.

The 2019 New South Wales Swifts season saw New South Wales Swifts compete in the 2019 Suncorp Super Netball season. Briony Akle guided Swifts to their second premiership. Despite losing their new captain, Maddy Proud, Kate Eddy and Lauren Moore to season-ending injuries, Swifts finished the regular season in second place. In the major semi-final, they lost to Sunshine Coast Lightning. However, they then defeated Melbourne Vixens in the preliminary final to qualify for the grand final where they faced Lightning again. Lightning were the champions in both 2017 and 2018 and had finished the 2019 regular season as minor premiers. As a result, Lightning started the grand final as favorites. Meanwhile, Swifts had begun the season as underdogs. They were not expected to have a good season. However, in the grand final they defeated Lightning 64–47 to emerge as champions.

Netball Central is an Australian netball venue located in Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales. Between 2016 and 2018, due to a naming rights arrangement, it was known as the Genea Netball Centre. The venue is owned by Netball New South Wales. It serves as their headquarters and as the main training base for New South Wales Swifts and Giants Netball. It was a host venue for the 2015 Netball World Cup and the 2018 Invictus Games. As well as netball, Netball Central regularly hosts martial arts, volleyball, table tennis, badminton and basketball tournaments and competitions.

Briony Akle is an Australian former netball player and current netball coach. Between 1999 and 2004, Akle played for Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Akle was a member of the Sydney Swifts teams that won premierships in 2001 and 2004. Since 2017 she has been head coach of New South Wales Swifts, guiding them to the 2019 and 2021 Suncorp Super Netball titles.

Julie Fitzgerald 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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Abbey McCulloch". nswswifts.com.au. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Abbey McCulloch". driveravenuegroup.com. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The state of our game". athletesvoice.com.au. 14 July 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  4. "Abbey's Road: Abbey McCulloch on finding a path from the bench to the starting line up". sbs.com.au. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  5. "Sutherland Blues are the champs". theleader.com.au. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  6. "Swifts in fever pitch over 2014 season". theleader.com.au. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  7. "Wests Sports Council honoured the region's top athletes at their annual awards night". Sydney: The Daily Telegraph. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  8. "Targeted Sports". endeavoursportshighschool.com. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  9. "Endeavour Sports High School – where stars are made" (PDF). endeavoursportshighschool.com. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  10. "Endeavour Sports High School joins NSW Sports High School Association". theleader.com.au. 5 May 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Abbey McCulloch". au.linkedin.com. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  12. "Netball NSW – Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  13. 1 2 "2010 Netball NSW Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Netball NSW and NSW Swifts – 2011 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  15. "A league debut for trio". theleader.com.au. 19 July 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  16. "Netball NSW and NSW Swifts – 2012 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  17. "Abbey McCulloch named in ANL Waratahs squad". southernhighlandnews.com.au. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  18. "Victorian Fury claim eighth Australian Netball League title". draftcentral.com.au. 2 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
  19. "Netball New South Wales – 2019 Annual Report" (PDF). nsw.netball.com.au. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  20. 1 2 "Former NSW Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch retires from representative netball". theleader.com.au. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  21. 1 2 3 "Former Swifts captain retires". thewomensgame.com. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  22. "Queensland Firebirds withstand serous challenge from trans-Tasman rivals Southern Steele". News.com.au. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  23. "Queensland Firebirds to test new combination during Summer Challenge". perthnow.com.au. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  24. "NSW Swifts Abbey McCulloch and Steph Wood to train Orange netball juniors". centralwesterndaily.com.au. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  25. "NSW Swifts – 2014 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  26. "2014 Annual Report – Netball NSW" (PDF). nsw.netball.com.au. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  27. "NSW Swifts – Honour Roll". nswswifts.com.au. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  28. "NSW Swifts – 2015 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  29. "2015 Annual Report – Netball NSW" (PDF). nsw.netball.com.au. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  30. "NSW Swifts – 2016 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  31. "Netball NSW – 2016 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  32. "NSW Swifts – 2017 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  33. "Netball NSW – 2017 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  34. "NSW Swifts – 2018 Season". nswswifts.com.au. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  35. "Netball NSW – 2018 Annual Report" (PDF). Netball NSW. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  36. "'I'll make them pick me' How Abbey McCulloch rose to netball prominence". womensagenda.com.au. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  37. "Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch to step away from Super Netball in 2019". Sydney: The Daily Telegraph. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  38. "Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch to step away from Super Netball in 2019". News.com.au. 6 September 2018.
  39. "Uncertain future for NSW Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch after knee injury". theleader.com.au. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  40. "I Want To Finish on My Terms". exclusiveinsight.com. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  41. "Wilton netballer Abbey McCulloch announces retirement". wollondillyadvertiser.com.au. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  42. "NSW Swifts player Abbey McCulloch's double life balancing act earns teammates-respect". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  43. "NSW Swifts star Abbey McCulloch wants to keep day job despite new netball league". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  44. "Premier's Sporting Challenge ambassador Abbey McCulloch visits Parkes East Public School students". parkeschampionpost.com.au. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  45. "Sutherland Stingrays Team Archives". nnswpremierleague.com.au. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  46. "Sutherland Stingrays". nnswpremierleague.com.au. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  47. "Sutherland Stingrays Premier League Coaches 2021". ssna.asn.au. 16 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  48. "McCulloch to join QBE Swifts Academy coaching staff". nswswifts.com.au. 13 March 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  49. "About Per4orm Netball". per4ormnetball.com.au. Retrieved 4 January 2021.