Monika ‘Otai will soon bring her smooth goal-shooting skills to the world stage! The Year 12 student has been selected to the Australian Fast5 Netball Team that will compete in the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games. Monika and her teammates don the green and gold in a historic year — it is the first time netball has been included in the games program.
The eyes of the Commonwealth will be on her but 17-year-old Monika is no stranger to high-pressure matches. Having been spotted for her netball talent early, she has been a member of the GIANTS Netball Academy for two years, a program that develops promising athletes for elite-level netball. Monika also plays for the UTS Randwick Sparks Opens Team in the Netball NSW Premier League Competition; the NSW U19 State Team (of which she is Vice Captain and which recently won bronze at the National event in Darwin) and the U19 Aussie Squad (with whom she’s training at an Australian Institute of Sport camp in July). Monika was a member of the NSW 17U side that won gold at the 2021 National Netball Championships. She earned silver at the 2022 tournament as a member of the NSW 19U squad.
Monika said she’s excited to have been appointed to her newest team, with whom she’ll travel to Trinidad and Tobago for the games.
“I’m still pinching myself, I’m very honoured to represent Australia and play in the green and gold. I haven’t fully processed it yet and I don’t think it will become real for me until I get out on the court,” Monika said.
In addition to keeping on top of her schoolwork, Monika trains and plays netball between five and seven days per week. She said she’s learned a lot on the courts where she spends so much of her time.
“There are so many lessons I’ve learned in netball that I apply to my everyday life but the important ones would be resilience, time management and accountability,” Monika said.
“I think the most persistent lesson I’ve been taught in this sport is to persevere and work hard when you encounter difficulties or obstacles.”
Monika’s grit is clear to anyone who glimpses her at a game. She’s a versatile goaler who shoots with astounding accuracy across both shooting positions. Monika plays with the joy of someone who’s doing what they love.
“I think the thing I love most about playing a team sport is the lifelong friendships and memories I’ve experienced along the way,” she said.
“I’m a very social person, so to be able to play a high-intensity sport with my best mates is something I cherish and hold on to dearly.”
Monika’s netball star has been rising steadily for years and she has well-founded designs on a career in the sport.
“With the intention of making netball a possible career in the future, I hope to compete in the Suncorp Super Netball League and perhaps even play for the Diamonds one day. Nevertheless, I still want to prioritise my education as it is very important to me to study at uni,” Monika said.
St Ursula’s College is delighted to see Monika’s hard work recognised as she takes her netball game to the next level. We will be cheering for her and the rest of the Australian teams as they represent our country at the Youth Commonwealth Games from 4-7 August 2023. Best wishes, Monika, we are so proud of your achievements!