5 days ago
How Sunshine Coast Lightning’s Ava Black Went From Farm Girl to Netball Superstar | EP151
Ava Black is one of the most exciting young athletes in Australian netball, but her journey to the Suncorp Super Netball league came with years of sacrifice, relentless grind, and a devastating ACL injury just as momentum was building. From growing up on a farm near Toowoomba to chasing a professional dream, Ava’s story is a powerful lesson in resilience, identity beyond sport, and the unseen work behind elite performance.
In this episode, Ava shares the reality of chasing professional sport at a young age. The sacrifices, the pressure, the grind of being a training partner, and the emotional rollercoaster of suffering a season-ending ACL injury. She opens up about rebuilding her mindset, finding purpose beyond the court, and how adversity helped her grow both as an athlete and a person.
You’ll learn how to build resilience through setbacks, why identity outside your career matters, and what it really takes to succeed in elite sport.
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Ava’s Quick Fire Answers
What does success mean to you?
“Success is reflection on the balance in my life. It’s not just netball or achievements — it’s who I am outside of sport and having multiple passions.”
What does happiness mean to you?
“Having a really strong group of people around you who support you and celebrate your success as if it’s their own.”
What’s your normal morning routine these days?
“Usually a 6am wake up, coffee first, then something active — training, gym, or coaching before heading into the day.”
What piece of advice would you put on a billboard for the world to see?
“Think about where you want to be in five years and hold yourself accountable to that vision.”
Who would you suggest as a future guest on the show?
“Ash Ervin — she has an incredible story and passion outside of netball as well.”
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Listen To The Podcast
https://pod.link/1683066164?view=apps&sort=popularity
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Find Us On Social Media
https://www.instagram.com/sxhpod
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Chapters
(00:00:00) - Introduction
(00:00:48) – Chapter 1 | Growing Up on a Farm & Chasing the Netball Dream
(00:18:52) – Chapter 2 | Breaking Into Professional Netball
(00:39:20) – Chapter 3 | ACL Injury, Identity & Building Resilience
(00:50:26) - Quick Fire Questions
(00:54:29) - Outro
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#podcast #netball #womenssport
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