Dedicated Ashlee Hall is Nelson Bay Netball’s Volunteer of the Year

NETBALL is a 12 month commitment for experienced Nelson Bay Association mentor Ashlee Hall.

Whether she’s guiding the district’s elite junior talent and senior representative squads on and off court, teaching young hopefuls the game’s finer points at the start of their netball journey, or devoting her spare time to committee duties, the indefatigable Hall can lay claim to being one of the “busiest” sporting officials in the Port Stephens region.

“Ashlee is an asset to our association and has given wonderful service as a player, coach and official, nurturing our juniors and mentoring our representative teams,” said Nelson Bay Netball Association president Ashleigh Martin.

“She is a fine ambassador for our sport who has devoted much of her life to developing grassroots netball and making the Nelson Bay association a force in the Hunter.”

Still recovering from an ACL injury and expecting her first child in the New Year, the dedicated Ashlee continues to play a key role in the development of Nelson Bay’s emerging netball juniors.

The respected coach capped an eventful 2025 when named Nelson Bay Netball’s Volunteer of the Year at the association’s Presentation Night at Soldiers Point Bowling Club.

The hard-working Hall was a “worthy recipient,” Ashleigh Martin told News Of The Area.

Ashlee spent a hectic three month period of carnival play co-ordinating the Nelson Bay Under 11 Development and Open representative squads as well as coaching the Little Rippers Under 11s and All Stars (13-14yrs) club teams in both the Junior and Intermediate competitions.

She enjoyed the challenge of identifying talent with this year’s Development Squad with a view to next year’s State Junior Titles, and backing up for another gruelling three-day State Senior Championships campaign in Sydney with the Nelson Bay Open team.

Ashlee steered her Little Rippers outfit into the big end-of-season matches before handing over the coaching reins to Michelle Weber for the finals series.

The team finished runners-up to the undefeated Stingrays with Ashlee also assisting coach Sarah Matthews in piloting the All Stars to an Intermediate premiership title – masterminding a 38-31 Grand Final victory over minor premiers, Storm.

By Chris KARAS