Definitely the odd man out

By Pte Shannon Joyce

Cpl. Michael Kiker, Land Command, has coached various netball teams for the past 15 years. Photo by Bill Cunneen, Army newspaper

WHOEVER nursed the statement to common cliche that it’s a man’s world obviously hasn’t been the minority gender in women’s professional netball, like Sydney illustrator Cpl Michael Kiker.

A coach for 15 years of various men’s and women’s Defence sides and assistant coach to the Hunter Valley Jaegers, Cpl Kiker found a grounding in the sport off the backbone of Aussie Rules, when he was invited to play in a mixed netball side with friends.

Cpl Kiker said he became involved with his wife in the Western District’s local netball association in Brisbane, and was asked to coach their under 13s team, taking them from last on the ladder to the grand final in one year.

“Another club in the association asked me to coach their senior team, during which I completed my level-two coaching certificate,” he said. After a 12-month correspondence certificate, covering sports physiology, and then netball specific training and developing of skills, Cpl Kiker was keen for coaching.

He was elected president of Australian Men’s Netball, and was the founding member and president of Queensland men’s netball. “I coached the first Defence men’s team in the nationals, which didn’t achieve huge success, and the Queensland Defence team for a few years,” he said.

He went on to coach state league in 2002, before applying to take the NSW open women’s side, and being appointed assistant coach to the NSW open team. Cpl Kiker said that men’s netball is faster and harder, with play differing around the goal.

“The men’s play is more aerial; they have a bigger elevation,” he explains. “Girls is more traditional netball; flat hard passes.” There’s no doubt in Cpl Kiker’s mind that the army has been really accommodating for his coaching.

“Without their support, there’s no way I could have gotten to the level I have with netball,” he said. “This is the last year of my posting in Sydney, and next year I’ll be looking for a posting back to Brisbane.

“We don’t seem to be able to get the best out of our girls up in Queensland for some reason, and I think I can get in there and perhaps work with the locally based talent. “I want to be the first male to coach at the national league level.

“There’s myself and another guy in Perth, who have been assistant coaches. “We’re the first of our gender to get into the league, so headcoach is my goal.”

With that pioneering spirit, and if postings go his way, Cpl Kiker may just do it. “If someone would have told me back in the early eighties that my sporting career would have ended up with coaching netball, I would have laughed at them.”