Opens Coaching lineup for Season 2023 announced

Introducing the powerhouse #OurBlaze Opens Coaching Lineup for 2023!! 🔥 🥁

⭐️ Opens Head Coach: Marji Parr
⭐️ Opens Assistant Coach: Kimberlee Gilmour
⭐️ Opens Assistant Coach: Merryn Connolly
⭐️ Opens Trainee Assistant Coach: Ashlee Scofield
⭐️ Team Manager: Sharon Briggs

A big welcome back to Marji, Kimberlee and Sharon who return to the Opens lineup in 2023, and a HUGE WELCOME to Merryn and Ashlee, the newest members of the Opens Coaching lineup and #OurBlaze family.

Merryn joins #OurBlaze from partner association @campbelltowndistrictnetball (CDNA), and brings with her invaluable experience. Merryn holds an Elite Netball Coach Accreditation and in 2022, was a @netballnsw Mentor Coach for Metro & Regional Academy and Metro & Regional League, a Mentor Coach for CDNA, and Head Coach of the CDNA Division 1 Metro League team. She has coached State League and Metro League teams for the past 12 years, spent two years as an Observer Coach for the NSW Swifts under Rob Wright, Anita Keelan & Megan Anderson, and one year as an Observer Coach for the ANL NSW Waratahs under Colleen Mitchell and Lenore Blades. She is also dedicated to building and promoting the sport of Netball in NSW ✨

A few words from Merryn on her appointment:

“It is such a privilege to be working with the Blaze community. As franchise partners, Campbelltown trained alongside the Opens in 2022 and some of our players were training partners. This appointment seems like a natural next step and everyone has been so welcoming. I can’t wait to work with Marji and the team under the guidance of Maria and the Board. Blaze is an innovative and dynamic group who focus on the person not just the player so after a few difficult covid seasons, I say bring on 2023!”

Ashlee bring solid skills and experience to the Blaze. In 2022, she held a number of Head Coach positions including Head Coach for the @illawarra_academy_of_sport, the @netballnsw Waratah and Foundation Warada Pathway Program, the South Coast Regional Team, and in 2021, the Penrith Div 1 Metro League team. She was also a selector for the Illawarra Academy of Sport, the Regional State Cup South Coast Team, as well as Blaze Association Partners @southernhighlandsnetball and @illawarranetball.

A few words from Ashlee on her appointment:

“I’m excited about the year ahead with Blaze and to have the opportunity to coach with some very experienced coaches. I’m really looking forward to working with some of the talented athletes within the franchise and taking all I can from the experience. After a successful 2022 I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store! ”

What. A. Team. And what an exciting season ahead for #OurBlaze. We agree, bring on 2023!