All fired up
UQ Firebirds scholarship drives community-minded students to succeed
By Michael Jones
When you think about netball, it’s hard not to picture a wintery Saturday morning, with dozens of players packed onto multiple courts at the local sports field.
You can almost hear the fast-paced chatter, the piercing whistles and the umpire calling, “Contact! Stand beside”.
While Australia is a powerhouse on the international netball stage, the sport is part of everyday life in almost every town and city, and an integral cog in regional communities.
This is a point not lost on UQ Bachelor of Social Work student Savanna Detlefson, one of the 2021 recipients of the UQ Firebirds Scholarship.
Savanna grew up in the small Queensland town of Kilkivan and attended Victory College in Gympie. Like so many other young Australians, she spent many days at the local courts after taking up the sport to make friends while at school.
“Netball was such a big part of the community, and some of my favourite memories are travelling to other regions and competing in representative tournaments,” Savanna said.
“The highlight was the A-grade grand final in 2019. My team, Victory Fire, had been pushing to win a premiership for a couple of seasons. We were the minor premiers that year, and we won the grand final 31-26.
“It felt like all of our hard work had paid off.”
The $5000 UQ Firebirds Scholarship was established in 2019 to encourage and support new university students who have demonstrated a passion for netball.
It’s part of a broader long-term partnership between UQ and Netball Queensland, who have been working together since 2015 to pursue excellence in sport through world-class research, while preparing graduates for industry through quality internships.
Savanna has stepped away from competitive netball since starting her Bachelor of Social Work degree, however she has continued to play social netball at UQ to help her transition from high school to university. She hopes to return to competitive netball next season.
“I applied for the UQ Firebirds Scholarship because I’m passionate about netball and the community, and this scholarship represented that,” Savanna said.
“It has helped me transition from rural to city living, and cover some of my expenses as a young university student living away from home."
“The scholarship has motivated me to excel in my studies this year as well as continue playing netball. Although I didn’t play competitively this season, UQ social netball was so much fun.
“I had the opportunity to play with my friends and not take it so seriously, which meant I enjoyed the game even more.”
Savanna believes netball should be enjoyed by everyone involved, from the players to the umpires. That equal-opportunity philosophy is one of the reasons she chose to study social work at UQ.
“I value community and I just want to help people, which I can achieve through social work,” she said.
“Growing up in a rural town, I witnessed how disadvantages impact families and their well-being. I have also experienced certain disadvantages in life, including access to netball opportunities due to my geographical location.
“I want to be part of the change that improves and supports not only rural and regional communities, but any individual experiencing disadvantage.”
The $5000 UQ Firebirds Scholarship was established in 2019 to encourage and support new university students who have demonstrated a passion for netball.
It’s part of a broader long-term partnership between UQ and Netball Queensland, who have been working together since 2015 to pursue excellence in sport through world-class research, while preparing graduates for industry through quality internships.
Savanna has stepped away from competitive netball since starting her Bachelor of Social Work degree, however she has continued to play social netball at UQ to help her transition from high school to university. She hopes to return to competitive netball next season.
“I applied for the UQ Firebirds Scholarship because I’m passionate about netball and the community, and this scholarship represented that,” Savanna said.
“It has helped me transition from rural to city living, and cover some of my expenses as a young university student living away from home."
“The scholarship has motivated me to excel in my studies this year as well as continue playing netball. Although I didn’t play competitively this season, UQ social netball was so much fun.
“I had the opportunity to play with my friends and not take it so seriously, which meant I enjoyed the game even more.”
Savanna believes netball should be enjoyed by everyone involved, from the players to the umpires. That equal-opportunity philosophy is one of the reasons she chose to study social work at UQ.
“I value community and I just want to help people, which I can achieve through social work,” she said.
“Growing up in a rural town, I witnessed how disadvantages impact families and their well-being. I have also experienced certain disadvantages in life, including access to netball opportunities due to my geographical location.
“I want to be part of the change that improves and supports not only rural and regional communities, but any individual experiencing disadvantage.”
Fellow UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient Brooke Warburton shares Savanna’s views, and said the scholarship meant she could be part of an “awesome netball community” at UQ, while having the opportunity to excel in her academic career.
Brooke grew up in Goondiwindi and represented her region at netball, rugby union and swimming.
UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient Brooke Warburton.
UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient Brooke Warburton.
While she still plays netball for the Valley’s Netball Club, the first-year Bachelor of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences student is focussing on her studies and aims to complete a postgraduate degree in dietetics.
“I want to contribute to the sporting community with knowledge,” Brooke said.
“There are so many health professionals and specialists involved in sport. The impact they have on the performance of a young athlete is incredible.”
Alyssa Hanson is another UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient who aims to contribute to netball through knowledge.
The first-year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) student, who grew up in Tieri, in Central Queensland – where there were no netball courts when she was a child! – is now focussed on coaching and umpiring at the Allstars Netball Club in Wellington Point
“It’s so rewarding being part of such a wonderful and supportive community,” Alyssa said.
UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient Alyssa Hanson. Images: Marc Grimwade
UQ Firebirds Scholarship recipient Alyssa Hanson. Images: Marc Grimwade
“I’d like to continue working on my umpiring skills to receive a National B badge in the future and umpire higher competitions.
“As an umpire, I enjoy the challenge and ability to interpret the rules. Plus it’s a great way to keep fit.
“It definitely isn’t a popular job, you often get eye rolls from players and notes from noisy spectators – but that’s all part of the job. Umpires have to back themselves and their colleagues.”
Alyssa said she loves interacting with people from all walks of life, as well as creating meaningful connections with people.
“I always knew that a career in healthcare was my calling,” she said.
“After shadowing an occupational therapist (OT) at a school, I knew OT was the right degree for me.
“This scholarship has been incredibly helpful in allowing me to travel to university and to netball. It’s also enabled me to purchase textbooks, course materials and complete placement requirements to maximise my learning on top of my busy netball schedule.”
Win tickets to the Queensland Firebirds
This competition has now closed (read the terms and conditions).
Please note that due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the scheduled match between the Queensland Firebirds and the Giants at Nissan Arena on Saturday 3 July has been moved to John Cain Arena in Melbourne and will be played on Sunday 4 July. While we can no longer offer tickets to this game, the winners of the original prize of a double pass to watch the Firebirds will be notified of changes to the prize in due course.
Built with Shorthand