South Australian talent Hannah Petty will take a significant leap in her netball career in 2020, stepping up to lead the Adelaide Thunderbirds alongside experienced campaigner Chelsea Pitman.
The midcourters have been named co-captains of the side, just in time for them to travel to Sydney for their Round One clash with the NSW Swifts this Sunday afternoon.
Petty, a member of the squad’s leadership group in 2019, has been elevated to co-captain in her fifth year on the Thunderbirds list.
Hailing from Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula, the 23-year-old has spent her entire life playing netball, making her way through the Netball SA pathways.
Petty was a member of the Netball SA Eyre Academy and represented in the Premier League, before joining the Thunderbirds in 2016.
In 2017, she captained the Australian side at the Netball World Youth Cup in Botswana under current Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst.
Her strong on-court performance last season was rewarded with a selection in the 2019 Australian Development Squad, aimed at developing the nation’s next crop of potential Origin Diamonds.
Pitman, a 2019 co-captain and 2018 vice-captain, will lead the Thunderbirds for the second-consecutive year.
The 32-year-old hosts an impressive netball resume, including Commonwealth Gold Medallist, club MVP and international representative for both Australia and England.
Adelaide Thunderbirds head coach Tania Obst said the athletes’ individual leadership styles were extremely complimentary.
“Hannah took big strides in her performance last season, on and off the court” Obst said.
“Her understated, natural leadership qualities have always been on display and now she gets the opportunity to show these at another level as co-captain.”
“Together with Chelsea’s experience, the Thunderbirds have a strong duo leading the way in 2020.”
2019 co-captain Layla Guscoth rounds out the 2020 leadership group.
“Hannah and Chelsea will be well supported by Layla who adds further experience to our leadership group,” Obst said.
“The 2020 season is going to look pretty different to normal so it’s even more vital that our leaders set a strong example for our squad and I have full faith in this group to do so.”
