Every coach hopes to leave a program in better shape than they found it. As I close my chapter at Somerset College, I can say with real pride that we did.
I joined Somerset in 2023 and was presented with a blank canvas. I knew one thing: I wanted to give students more opportunities to play netball, through club netball, the school competition and the elite pathway. After three seasons on court and a year on maternity leave, I officially finished up in September 2026, leaving a program that's stronger on and off the court.
Building the foundations
The results people see on game day are built on work they don't. A lot of my time at Somerset went into the structure behind the program, and countless admin hours went with it.
- A clear high-performance structure. We created clarity around how the program runs, so players, parents and coaches all knew the pathway and what it took to progress.
- More opportunities in every age group. Every year level gained more chances to play, train and develop.
- A boys netball program. We launched boys netball at the school, opening the game to a whole new group of players.
- A stronger financial footing. We helped put the netball program back in a sound financial position, so it can keep growing.
- Fresh expertise in the coaching team. We brought new faces with real expertise into the coaching cohort, strengthening the program at every level.
A season to remember
Success didn't come overnight. In 2023 and 2024, we fell just short in the championship playoffs. Those losses hurt, but they taught us some very valuable lessons.
In 2025, my final season on court, it all came together. Our Open A team went through the entire year undefeated and, for the first time in the school's history, claimed the four-peat:
- Wallas-Bassingthwaighte Trophy: retained.
- APS Netball Open A: grand final winners.
- QISSN Division 1: undefeated premiers.
- Vicki Wilson Championship (Cup): undefeated through the qualification rounds, and state premiers.
That's a phenomenal achievement, and it belongs to a phenomenal group of players. They were a pleasure to coach: hard-working, coachable and always ready to back each other when it counted.
More than results
The titles were special, but they were never the whole point. Sport teaches students and athletes so much about the real world:
- Commitment
- Teamwork
- Working with different types of people
- Building towards a common goal
- Overcoming adversity and challenges
- Taking feedback and responding to it
And it's fun. Where else do you get to learn all of that while competing alongside your friends?
A strong place to build from
Somerset netball is in a really great place. The structures are in place, the coaching team is strong and there's a legacy worth building on. The next chapter belongs to the players and coaches who carry it forward.
Thank you, Somerset
Thank you to Somerset College for the opportunity to lead its netball program. It's been a privilege to be part of the Spartan netball community, and I'll be watching on proudly as the next chapter unfolds.
Looking to build a stronger netball program at your school or club? Enquire at ccnetball.com.
Written by Caitlyn Strachan
Caitlyn Strachan is a former Australian Diamond, triple ANZ Championship premiership player and founder of CC Netball.
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