How Sweet it is for Olivia Honey
To make one state team in a year is an amazing feat for most junior athletes, but to make two teams in different sports in one month is a pretty damn good effort, and that’s exactly what year 11 Academy student athlete Olivia Honey has done.
This weekend Olivia will represent Victoria in the 100m and 4 x 100 relay at the All Schools championships in Cairns, while in April, Olivia will head to Brisbane to represent Victoria in the under 19s National Netball Championships.
“It has been quite a surreal couple of weeks.” Says Olivia on her duel state selection. “ I have been trying to make a state Netball team since under 12’s and to finally be named for Victoria is great. My athletics career is only a year old, so to win selection for the Victorian team at my very first State Championships was a real shock.”
“I knew I was a fairly quick runner, but to run the time I did at the State Championship made me feel like I could have a future in the sport, and had I not have made the Victorian U19 netball team, I may have pursued Athletics as my preferred sport.”
Maribyrnong Sports Academy head netball coach and former Australian Captain Eloise Southby says Olivia’s selection for Victoria is a culmination of a lot of hard work. “ It was a remarkable achievement for Liv to make two state teams in a 30 day period. I think Liv has really been trying hard for State selection for the last few years in the 17 and under level, but I think has really grown in maturity, not only in the program here at Maribyrnong but working in specialist sessions, working with her Club team at the Geelong Cougars in the VNL and really trying to Develop her game. The thing that has really impressed me with Liv is her work ethic, she really use every single session to her benefit and works at maximum capacity. Liv has proven that if you continue to train at that rate selectors will take notice and opportunities will present.”
“Liv is a dynamic Wing Attack and Centre. At Wing Attack she is a really zippy and nimble player around the court with great vision into the goalers and is able to put that right feed in to get the goalers into the right shooting position. The think Liv has really developed in her game is her defensive work in the Centre. Her greatest asset is when the ball is turned over, and given the fact she can run a 12.05 in the 100m she is able to whip down into defense that fast, it become a real bonus for her team both in attack and defense. I really look forward to seeing how Liv’s Netball and Athletics career work out in the future.”
Liv’s sporting DNA definitely comes from family with her dad Neil who was a Commonwealth Games Pole Vaulter while mum Di was a former Australian Netball. Olivia’s sister Tayla plays for the Melbourne Vixen’s and her brother Josh is in the AFL AIS Academy and plays for the Western Jets in the TAC Cup. Olivia’s uncle Gary was a Silver medalist in the Long Jump at the 2004 Los Angeles Olympics.
