IN a game where height usually prevails, pocket dynamo Georgia Giofrelle is a wonderful exception to the rule.
What the coach of Robinvale Euston lacks in stature becomes a non-issue when she crosses that white line and enters the court.
At the weekend her on-court nous, speed and accurate shooting saw her net 25 goals and set up a thrilling 56-54 home victory over Merbein.
That levelled the Eagles’ season record at 5-5 and placed them fourth on a tightly-packed ladder.
“I am pretty happy with how we are going so far and hope we can keep moving that way,” the round 11 Mildura Golf Resort SFNL Netballer of the Week said.
“I think we have more structure in our team and we are working together and I’ve got a bench coach now in Shannon (Neyland) who helps me out quite a bit, so I don’t have to worry about coaching when I am playing on the court,” the second-year coach said.
Giofrelle has also formed a potent scoring partnership with goal shooter Sarah Hepburn and between them they scored the team’s entire tally at the weekend.
“We work really well together, and she has a lot of netball knowledge, so that’s great,” the coach said.
However, she is also the team’s “Ms Fixit”.
“I played midcourt early on this season, but I just play where it’s best for the team. I don’t really have a preference. I just go where I am most needed,” she said.
Giofrelle also said she feels she’s adjusted her coaching style over the past year-and-a-half.
“I’ve improved on the way I explain things to the girls and get the message across better in drills at training, particularly about set plays,” Giofrelle said.
Challenges for top-five berths in A Grade are coming thick and fast and Robinvale Euston’s grip on fourth is by no means solid and could be even less so tomorrow when they host unbeaten Wentworth.
“You just take it as it goes,” she said of the daunting forthcoming challenge.
“The first time we played them we just said, ‘it’s one play at a time, one centre pass at a time and take it our own pace. If you do something wrong, just shake it off and move on’.
“We are not the tallest, but we try to use different strengths to our advantage like speed and accuracy.”
Which the coach has in abundance.
Giofrelle is the Mildura Golf Resort SFNL Netballer of the Week for round 11. She receives a $150 voucher for the Mildura Golf Resort.
