When Mackay netball legend Kelly Beckingham travelled to Bundaberg as a fresh faced 16-year-old back in 2000 for the inaugural Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Carnival, little did she realise the influence she would have on the new wave of St Patrick’s College netballers.
The goal shooting whiz underlined her potential during the first-ever QISSN event, producing skillful performances against more seasoned rivals to help guide St Patrick’s to the top division finals series.
Fast forward 12 months and a mature Kelly was representing her school and region at the second annual QISSN Carnival in Rockhampton – inspiring St Patrick’s to a top five ranking in Division One and being named the official Player of the Carnival.
In the ensuing years she carved out an illustrious career as a goal attack in the State League and representative scene and proved a role model to all aspiring netballers in the Mackay Netball Association.
Beckingham rekindled her love of netball when Mercy College and St Patrick’s College recently co-hosted the 2022 QISSN tournament staged in Mackay.
She was a keen spectator at the prestigious five-day event that attracted the best schoolgirl and schoolboy netballers from across Queensland and watched her former schools taste success in their various categories.
Both St Patrick’s and Mercy College were a force to be reckoned with throughout the Carnival with Kelly most impressed by the depth of netball talent bubbling through the local ranks.
“I was so proud of the girls who stood up to be counted against some very strong combinations,” quipped Kelly, who still plays the game at a social level with the DAS club in the Mackay Netball Association.
“The Netball Excellence program at both schools continues to unearth plenty of talent which is a testament of the first class coaching by the likes of Tracey McLeod, Nadine Becker, Dianna Bailey and Christine Newland,” she said.
Just like their pioneering QISSN colleagues of 2000 and 2001, the St Patrick’s Netball Class of 2022 also claimed a top five finish in one of the strongest fields ever assembled.
Despite being drawn against the top two Gold Coast schools in eventual winners Canterbury College and runners up Somerset College and third placed Matthew Flinders Anglican College Sunshine Coast in the virtual “Pool of Death”, the St Patrick’s girls battled like trojans to qualify for the finals.
“Their competitive spirit, silky teamwork and never-say-die attitude was evident from the outset of the tournament and helped the girls achieve their pre-Carnival goal of reaching the last eight,” Kelly revealed.
“It certainly revived memories for myself as they rallied to defeat St Columban's College Caboolture on the final day to clinch fifth spot,” she said.
“When the young Mercy girls came out and won their Grand Final it capped a magic five days for the Mackay community” Kelly added.
By Chris Karas
The first QISSN carnival team uniform for St Patrick’s netball
St Patrick’s College Mackay Netball Class of 2000 that competed in the inaugural Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball (QISSN) Carnival in Bundaberg. Pictured standing L-R: Kylie Isbister (coach), Edie Weiss (manager), Jayde Archer, Kelly Park, Janine Bella (captain), Jocelyn Boyd (vice-captain), Bernadette Guthrie (umpire); front Antoniette Ricciardi, April Eva, Jody Smith, Zoe Perry, Amanda Donaldson, Danielle Sells.
