The Sunshine Coast Lightning have appointed new head coach Belinda Reynolds, who has signed a two-year deal with the Super Netball club. The new coach will take the reins of the team from Kylee Byrne, who departed the club at the end of last season after a wooden spoon season. Reynolds was previously an assistant coach at the West Coast Fever for five years, and most recently coached the Fever Reserves at the Australian National Championships. She will relocate to the Sunshine Coast in the coming weeks. She said she looked forward to the new challenge.

The first half of the season saw the Lightning start off slowly, losing their first three games but then beating the Giants and Firebirds in the finals. In the deciding game, the Lightning defeated West Coast on their enemy territory to win the national title. In the second half, the Lightning’s goalkeeper Courtney Bruce was outstanding and the team cut the deficit to three goals.

The Sunshine Coast Lightning are part-owned by UniSC. As a Foundation Principal Partner, UniSC played a crucial role in the club’s formation. The club trains at UniSC and plays its home games there. This attracts fans from across the region. The Lightning play their matches during the Suncorp Super Netball season from April to September.

The Lightning’s regional tour in Queensland this month included a clinic for local netball players. During the clinic, the players will talk about the sport and encourage young girls to improve their confidence. This is part of the Suncorp Team Girls initiative, which seeks to inspire young girls to play the sport.

After Steph Wood’s injury, the Lightning worked on shooting accuracy. They shot 83% and 76% of their shots in the third round against the Adelaide Thunderbirds. They also celebrated Laura Scherian’s 100th game in the National League. She finished the season with 16 assists, 34 circle feeds, and three deflections.

The Sunshine Coast Lightning have made it to the third round of the Super Netball grand final after winning their first two matches. They are led by Noeline Taurua and Laura Langman, whose excellent performances have put the team well on track for a hat-trick of premierships. Since June, the team has lost just one match.

The Lightning have also announced the appointment of new head coach Steph Wood. She will replace Karla Pretorius as team captain in 2022. Pretorius is expecting a baby and has flagged her comeback for 2023. Wood has become a foundation player in 2017 and is on track to score 200 goals in a season.

The Lightning players are collaborating with Unitywater in a campaign called Local Water Legends to promote water wise practices. The campaign will be launched on various channels and will celebrate water-wise individuals in the community. The campaign will also feature on their website. This will be an excellent way to spread the water-wise message and encourage more people to join the movement.