Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Simone Cecile McKinnis [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 4 October 1966 [2] [3] Victoria, Australia [4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Netball career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing position(s): WD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Club team(s) | Apps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1980s | Herne Hill | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1990s | Melbourne Blues | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1990 | Melbourne City | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1993–1996 | Melbourne Pumas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1994 | → Adelaide Garville | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1997–1998 | Melbourne Phoenix | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | National team(s) | Caps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1986–1998 | Australia | 63 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2003–2007 | Singapore Sports School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2007 | AIS Canberra Darters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2010 | Australian Institute of Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2009 | → Australia U21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2011 | Tanzania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012– | Melbourne Vixens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2012– | → Victorian Institute of Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Simone McKinnis OAM is a former Australia netball international and the current head coach of Melbourne Vixens in Suncorp Super Netball. As a player she was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991 and 1995 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She also captained the Melbourne Phoenix team that won the 1997 Commonwealth Bank Trophy. She was head coach when Vixens won the 2014 ANZ Championship and the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball titles. In 1992, McKinnis was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and in 2010 was inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame.
McKinnis is one of five sisters. The McKinnis family spent time in Western Australia and New South Wales before eventually settling in Geelong. [5]
McKinnis began playing netball with Geelong-based Herne Hill. She later played for the Melbourne Club at Royal Park. She started in Melbourne Green, alongside Roselee Jencke, before progressing through Reds and Golds and eventually Melbourne Blues. [5] [6]
During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, McKinnis played for several teams. In 1990 she played for Melbourne City, a composite team coached by Norma Plummer that also featured Roselee Jencke and Shelley O'Donnell. Melbourne City finished as champions after defeating Adelaide Contax 52–42 in the grand final. [7] In 1993 she was vice-captain of a Melbourne Pumas captained by Jencke and coached by Norma Plummer. In 1994 she played for Adelaide Garville as an "import player" and helped them reach the grand final. [8] In 1995 and 1996, McKinnis played for Melbourne Pumas in two successive grand finals, finishing as winners in 1996. Her later Pumas team mates included Janine Ilitch, Eloise Southby and Ingrid Dick. [9]
In 1997 and 1998 McKinnis captained and played for Melbourne Phoenix in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. In 1997 she was the league's MVP as Phoenix won the premiership. [6] [10] [11] [12]
Between 1986 and 1998 McKinnis made 63 test appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991 and 1995 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. [4] [10] [13] [14] [15]
Tournaments | Place |
---|---|
1991 World Netball Championships [16] [17] | ![]() |
1993 World Games [15] | ![]() |
1995 World Netball Championships [18] | ![]() |
1998 Commonwealth Games [4] [10] [14] | ![]() |
McKinnis began her senior coaching career with Melbourne Phoenix in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy, serving as assistant coach to Joyce Brown and then Lisa Alexander. [10] [11] [14]
Between 2003 and 2007 McKinnis served as head netball coach at the Singapore Sports School. [2] [4] [14]
Between 2007 and 2010 McKinnis served as head coach at the Australian Institute of Sport. [19] [20] During the 2007 season she coached AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. [21] She guided AIS to two successive Australian Netball League grand finals in 2008 and 2009. However on each occasion they lost to Victorian Fury. [22] [23]
Between 2008 and 2009 McKinnis served as head coach of the Australia U21 team. She was head coach when Australia won the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships, defeating New Zealand U21 64–46 in the final after going undefeated throughout the tournament. [11] [14] [24] [25]
Between 2010 and 2011 McKinnis served as head coach of Tanzania. She subsequently guided them to third place at the 2010 Netball Singapore Nations Cup. [2] [11] [26] [27] [28] [29]
McKinnis joined the Melbourne Vixens coaching staff as a support/specialist coach for the 2012 ANZ Championship season. [10] [30] In September 2012 she was appointed Vixens head coach. [12] [25] She subsequently guided Vixens to the 2014 ANZ Championship and the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball titles. [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] McKinnis was named the Joyce Brown Coach of the Year after Vixens were minor premiers in 2017 and again in 2020 after a second premiership. [35] [36] As part of her role as Vixens head coach, McKinnis also serves as head netball coach at the Victorian Institute of Sport. [25] [37] [38] [39]
The Sargeant–McKinnis Cup is awarded annually to the aggregate winner of the two Suncorp Super Netball matches between Melbourne Vixens and New South Wales Swifts. It is named in honour of McKinnis and Anne Sargeant. It was first introduced in 2004 during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era. Sydney Swifts, Hunter Jaegers, Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels have previously competed for the trophy. [40] [41] [42] [43]
Shelley O'Donnell is a former Australia netball international. Between 1990 and 1999, O'Donnell made 84 senior appearances for Australia. She was a member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 1991, 1995 and 1999 World Netball Championships, the 1993 World Games and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. During the Esso/Mobil Superleague era, O'Donnell played for several teams, including the Australian Institute of Sport and Contax. Between 1997 and 2005, O'Donnell played for Melbourne Kestrels in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. In 1992, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. In June 2024 Shelley's daughter, Hannah Mundy, was selected in the Australian Diamonds netball squad.
Bianca Chatfield is a former Australia netball international. Between 2001 and 2014 she made 59 senior appearances for Australia. Chatfield was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medals at the 2007 World Netball Championships and the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Catherine Anne Cox is a former Australian netball international and current netball commentator and podcaster. Between 1997 and 2013, she made 108 senior appearances for Australia. She was a prominent member of the Australia teams that won gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships. She was also a member of the Australia teams that won silver medals at the 2003 World Netball Championships and the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. Cox captained Australia on seven occasions, including when they won the 2011 Constellation Cup.
Melbourne Vixens is an Australian professional netball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. Since 2017 they have represented Netball Victoria in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. The team was formed in 2007 when Netball Victoria merged its two former Commonwealth Bank Trophy league teams, Melbourne Phoenix and Melbourne Kestrels. Vixens have won three premierships, in 2009, 2014 and 2020.
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.
Geva Kate Mentor CBE is a former England netball international. She has competed for England in six Commonwealth Games. She was a member of the England team that won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was also a member of the England teams that won the bronze medal at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups. She captained England at the 2015 Netball World Cup.
Natalie Avellino is a former Australian netball international and current netball coach. Between 1994 and 2006 she made 20 senior appearances for Australia. Avellino was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 1995 World Netball Championships and the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Brooke Thompson is a former Australian netball player. She was a member of the Melbourne Vixens team that won the 2009 ANZ Championship. She was also a member of the Victorian Fury teams that won the 2008 and 2009 Australian Netball League titles. During the Commonwealth Bank Trophy era, Thompson played for AIS Canberra Darters and Melbourne Kestrels.
Peta Scholz, also known as Peta Squire, is a former Australia netball international. She was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medals at the 1999 World Netball Championships and the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the silver medal at the 2003 World Netball Championships. Between 1997 and 2007, Scholz made 169 appearances for Adelaide Thunderbirds in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. She was a prominent member of the Thunderbirds teams that won five successive minor premierships between 1997 and 2001. She also played in six successive grand finals between 1997 and 2002, helping Thunderbirds win premierships in 1998 and 1999. In 2010 and 2011, Scholz played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the ANZ Championship.
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.
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.
Elizabeth Watson, commonly known as Liz Watson, is an Australia netball international. Watson was a member of the Australia teams that won the silver medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and at the 2019 Netball World Cup. In 2018 and 2022 she received the Liz Ellis Diamond award. She captained Australia during the 2021 Constellation Cup. Since 2014, Watson has played for Melbourne Vixens, initially in the ANZ Championship and later in Suncorp Super Netball. She was a member of the Vixens' teams that won premierships in 2014 and 2020.
Australian Institute of Sport are a former Australian netball team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They were the netball team of the Australian Institute of Sport. They effectively acted as a development/under-21 team for the Australia national netball team. Between 1985 and 1996, AIS played in the Esso/Mobil Superleague. In 1985 and 1986 they finished as champions. Between 2003 and 2007, the AIS and Netball ACT entered a combined team known as AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy. Between 2008 and 2012, the AIS entered a separate team in the Australian Netball League. They were ANL grand finalists in both 2008 and 2009. They have also entered teams in the NSW State League, Victorian State League and the South Australia State League.
Roselee Jencke is a former Australia netball international and netball coach. As a player, Jencke was a member of the Australia teams that won the gold medal at the 1991 World Netball Championships and the silver medals at the 1985 World Games and the 1987 World Netball Championships. In 1992 she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Between 2009 and 2020, Jencke served as head coach of Queensland Firebirds. Between 2011 and 2016 she guided Firebirds to five ANZ Championship grand finals, winning three premierships in 2011, 2015 and 2016.
The Mobil Superleague, originally known as the Esso Superleague, was the top level national Australian netball league between 1985 and 1996. The league was Australia's first national netball league. It was organized by the All Australia Netball Association and featured the state league champions from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia plus a team from the Australian Institute of Sport. Between 1990 and 1996, the winners of the league were also awarded the Prime Minister's Cup and this is sometimes used as an alternative name for the competition. Its main sponsors were Esso and Mobil. In 1997 it was replaced by the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.
The 2014 Melbourne Vixens season saw Melbourne Vixens compete in the 2014 ANZ Championship. 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.
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.