'I played professional netball for over a decade. This is the one thing nobody tells you.'

Thanks to our brand partner, WOOLWORTHS NETBALL GRANTS

Catherine Cox is nothing short of a netball icon. Over her stellar career, she played for the New South Wales Swifts, West Coast Fever, Perth Orioles, Melbourne Vixens and of course, the Australian national team.

Now, she's channelling her passion into new roles as a netball commentator and ambassador of the Woolworths NetSetGo and Woolworths Netball Grants program — but her journey in the sport actually began in a surprisingly casual way.

"I followed my sister into the sport because I saw her at training doing cartwheels and I thought, 'This sport is for me'," the goal shooter laughed.

"It was the social side that drew me in from day one and it's what I've loved most throughout my entire career."

That love for connection and team spirit carried her through an extraordinary career.

"I was very blessed to be in a lot of successful netball teams," Cath said.

"I won a Commonwealth Games gold medal and lots of silver ones — but we don't talk about those because that means you've lost a gold. I've won World Cups and I've ticked a lot of boxes winning domestic premierships."

Image: Supplied.

But those aren't the memories the athlete cherishes.

"I couldn't tell you anything about all the netball games I've played — and there were a lot of them — but I could tell you about everything we got up to when we were on tour, because that's the stuff I remember," Cath said.

"Making those friendships and having somebody by your side when it gets tough, but also when you're celebrating those incredible moments — it was a very nice life, and I must say I miss the team camaraderie."

That sense of connection is why Cath is so passionate about junior netball clubs — not just for the future of the sport, but for the personal development they offer young players.

Throughout her career, she's seen firsthand how netball helps forge friendships, build resilience and boost confidence. It's these lasting benefits that inspired her to become a Woolworths NetSetGo ambassador.

"Not only do they run the Woolworths NetSetGo program, which gives juniors the opportunity to play, but they also offer a fantastic netball grants program," Cath said.

"This year, they're giving away $100,000 — that's 40 grants of $2,000 — plus a $20,000 People's Choice grant for the club with the most votes. It's a great way to get the whole netball community involved."

Image: Instagram/@catherinecoxy.

The grants provide much-needed funding for junior clubs and can be used for upgrading equipment, revamping facilities or subsidising membership costs to grow the sport of netball and encourage membership sign-ups.

It's been a success since it began in 2019, with $1.4 million donated to 322 clubs and over 160,000 Aussie boys and girls learning netball, making friends and having fun through the program.

"Having been there and lived it, I can see the difference it's made to myself and a lot of people who have played junior netball all the way through," Cath said.

Skills learnt through netball also allowed Cath to step comfortably into her role as a commentator.

"I used to be really shy, so I never in a million years would have imagined I could do my job now," Cath said.

"There were also things I learnt as a player that I didn't like from certain commentators, and I think I've taken a lot of that in."

Cath uses her platform as a commentator to highlight the talent of the people on the court.

Image: Instagram/@catherinecoxy.

"I like to praise the players, build them up and showcase them — put them on a bit of a pedestal," Cath explained.

Netball has seeped into every aspect of Cath's journey since she was 11 years old, positively influencing her personal life and driving her professional career.

Now, in between commentating and raising her daughter, Cath tries to get her Woolworths NetSetGo team to stop doing cartwheels and focus on the ball — talk about a full-circle moment!

Head to the Woolworths Netball Grants website to learn how your club can get involved.

Feature Image: Instagram/@catherinecoxy.

Woolworths is proud to be one of the biggest supporters of community sport in Australia, enabling kids to understand the importance of healthy lifestyles through nutrition and activity.
Woolworths has been a supporter of grassroots netball, in partnership with Netball Australia since 2017, donating more than $1.4 million to hundreds of clubs across the country, largely through the allocation of Woolworths Netball Grants, a program which has been running since 2019. Clubs and associations across the country are encouraged to apply via woolworthsnetballgrants.com.au with applications now open until 29th August 2025.