Charlie Bell has progressed through every major stage of the Netball Queensland pathway, from local club netball through to Super Netball training partner and contracted athlete. Along the way, she has represented Queensland at Under 17 and Under 19 level, earned selection in Australian development squads, and gained experience across multiple professional environments including the Firebirds, Lightning, Tactix and now the Stars in New Zealand. Alongside her playing career, Charlie has also built a strong coaching presence through PlayBook, with a particular focus on developing tall athletes. In this interview, she reflects on her pathway, mentors, transition overseas and approach to performance.

How would you describe your progression through the Netball Queensland pathway once you decided to pursue netball?

It started at club, and I pretty much went through every stage that the Netball Queensland pathway offers up until SSN. After club, I got talent identified, Scouts would come to State Age and pick out players for what was called the Elite Development Program. From there I went on to the Queensland Under 17s and 19s teams and made a few Aussie sides as well. Something they don’t do anymore, which I feel like they could definitely bring back, is the Aussie tall athlete squad. Athletes from the teams that made the Aussie squads would be picked if they were goalers or defenders and were 190cm and taller, and then they’d get specialist coaching. Being around all those tall athletes was also so cool. I’ve always been the tallest in pretty much every team I’ve been in, and then to meet other girls from other state teams you don’t usually play with but get to train alongside.

When you first signed up to coach with PlayBook, one of your key focuses was helping tall teenagers develop confidence in their height. Why is that something you’re passionate about?

For me, I was always the tallest in all the teams. I didn’t really have anyone around me from a young age that I could look to and go, “Oh, she’s also my height.” The only people I had as representation were Caitlin Bassett, who was playing for Lightning at the time, and Romelda Aiken, who was playing for Firebirds. So, I was like, okay, they’re tall goalers just like me, maybe I can grow up to be one of them one day.

But when you’re in those awkward years of 11 to 17, you’re kind of finding your feet, and especially as a tall girl, it’s very different. Boys aren’t as tall as you, you’re going through all those things where you feel a little bit isolated and a bit alienated. At PlayBook sessions it’s extra special when the parents put in the notes like, “Could you give her a bit of a nudge, tell her it’s okay to be tall?” I really enjoy that.

They can look to me and ask questions like, “Did you have to do this? Did you feel like this?” Then I can relate, and they go, “Oh my gosh, me too,” and feel a bit less alone in that awkward feeling of being a tall athlete and I hope they walk away from the session going, “Okay, I like being tall. It’s not that bad.”

You’ve said you want tall girls to see height as a built-in strength. How has your own journey with your height shaped the way you play, and what message do you hope young athletes take from watching you?

I think being tall is a built-in superpower that my parents gave me. It’s your own unique identifier. What I struggled with when I was younger was comparing myself to shorter mid-courters who were faster, fitter, and speedier off the mark. Once we were introduced to the gym space, I’d be like, why aren’t I as strong as those girls? Why do I feel awkward doing these movements? That was hard to grapple with. Then as I got older and made more teams, I’d find more tall people. When I was at Lightning, I was around Ash Ervin and Cara Koenen and I was like, oh my gosh, my people. We all had our own “yep, we’re all in this together” kind of mentality.

After putting in the hard yards and working through all of that, now I can use my body and my height as an advantage, and I want to encourage younger tall girls to do the same. Use it as their superpower on the court because no one can take your height away from you. Especially for a goaler or a keeper, you’re that standout in the circle. No one can get the ball off you. Just remember that.

You’ve been part of Firebirds, Lightning, Tactix and now Stars. Who were your key mentors and role models in those environments?

Firebirds was my first introductory team to SSN and, being a Training Partner, I really had no idea what I was in for. Having Gabby Simpson was definitely a standout. I remember my very first training session; we were put under the pump. At the end I was ready to get out of there and debrief to Mum and Dad. She turned to me and said, “We’re going to go for a coffee.” I was like, what? You want to go to coffee with me? Then she said, “Tell me about you. What do you do? What’s your story?” I was like, wow, someone really wants to put time and effort into getting to know me as a person as well as a player. Moving on to Lightning, my first properly contracted team, Mahalia Cassidy took me under her wing straight away and said, “Live with me until you have a place to stay.” That made me feel really comfortable from the start.

I knew a lot of the girls from the Queensland pathway like Tara Hinchliffe, and I idolised Steph and Cara, so it was cool to be around them. Then I had the younger group like Ava Black and Reilley Batcheldor to cling to as well. Everyone was really supportive and welcoming. When I went to New Zealand the whole team and culture was so loving and welcoming. I’d always heard, “The Kiwis are so lovely, they’ll embrace you” but even when my mum came over, she said, “I can feel it. I can feel the love. “I felt instantly supported and welcomed. Having Remi Kamo and Donnell Wallam there really helped with homesickness. They were really good support systems for me.

You’ve said before that netball has taught you that the journey isn’t linear, and growth often comes from discomfort. Can you share a moment where you had to lean heavily on resilience and your support network?

For me, the biggest one was losing my dad in 2023, in the middle of the Lightning season. It was really special to have the support around me when it happened. For the rest of that year, I lost a lot of my confidence. I really struggled to go to training sessions. I kept coming back to Brisbane to check on my family, be there for them, make sure they were okay. Then going back up the coast and putting in a week of training was really tricky. Having my family around me in Brisbane, and the support of the girls up the coast, was so comforting. My coaches, like Jenny Brazel and Belinda Reynolds, were like, “Whatever you need, you tell us, we’re here for you.” I just felt so supported. 2023 was probably the hardest, because it was grappling with, “What is my life now?” I really struggled to play good netball.

When the Stars opportunity came the year after, I thought, am I ready for this? My mum said, “You’ve got to do it. He wouldn’t want you sitting around here feeling sorry for yourself or about him. He’d tell you to do it.” I spoke to my family and grandparents, and they said the same thing. So, I thought, right, you think I’m ready, I guess I’m ready. I did it, and I’m so glad I did, because it was the best thing for me: for my confidence, my game, and my independence as a person. Going overseas, being away from loved ones for six months, was huge. I’d never been away from my family for more than two weeks.

I’m stoked I did it. I got my confidence back, played good netball, made some really good friends, and had an amazing experience. So, when the Tactix offer came, I didn’t even blink, I just signed the contract.

You had your first taste of New Zealand netball as an injury replacement for Mainland Tactix. You’ve described the style differences as jarring. Did that make you hesitant or excited to move?

It excited me, because I was only there for two weeks, I felt like a bit of a deer in headlights at the start. I think I got there on a Tuesday, and we played on a Saturday. Our coach at the time said, “Okay, this last half hour of training we’re just going to feed the ball to you and you’re just going to get used to it.” I was learning the plays on the run, and I debuted that game. We’re so used to Aussie netball: work to the circle edge, get it there, then make that pass really safe. In New Zealand there’s a statistic called “long feeds”, so it felt like I was going against everything I’d been taught in Australia, if you throw it off the circle edge, you’re getting the evil eye from the coach.

The next week of training I felt really good. I didn’t play that second game because it was a hard team we were versing, and then I went home. Learning those things quickly and then getting the offer, I thought, at least I’ll have a whole pre-season to get familiar.

What’s been a key highlight of your netball career so far?

Probably debuting for Lightning at Nissan Arena with my family and friends in the stands in 2023. That was really special because I did it alongside Ash Ervin. We came up the Queensland pathway together. She’s a little younger than me, but we were still making all the teams together, then we were training partners at Firebirds. To come back to Nissan Arena, home of the Firebirds, and then play together for Lightning, and get the win, was super special. It was a real full-circle moment, especially playing alongside people I’d idolised growing up.

You’ve been open about wanting to be a Diamond. How important is goal setting for you, and what does it look like short-term versus long-term?

I’d definitely love to be a Diamond one day. That would be so cool. I hope that’s something I’m looking toward in the next five years or so.

Goal setting is important because it makes the big picture feel less daunting. A lot of little girls say, “I want to be a Diamond,” but don’t know what it actually takes. Some people make it after two years of SSN, others not until they’re 30. It’s different for everyone, so you can’t compare.

My journey has been training partner, contracted, training partner, contracted, now contracted again. I just want to keep playing at the professional level as long as I can until I get that look in.

For the Diamonds goal, I want to make sure I’m doing everything right: being a team player, taking on feedback from coaches, and asking my teammates and defenders I come up against things like, “Was that too easy? Did I leave too early? Do you need me to do this more? What could I do more? Do you think I could try this next time?”.

My goal is probably in that five-year mark. I might be a bit hard on myself, but I’m trying to be realistic and give myself time, because life gets in the way.

Do you see yourself as naturally confident, or is it something you’ve had to build?

I think as a whole person I’m quite confident in social aspects and all that stuff, but I can also be quite shy, which people are surprised by.

Confidence in netball definitely took work. I’m guilty of comparing myself to others, and I overthink. If I made mistakes, I’d quickly fall into imposter syndrome and think, “What are you doing, it’s not good enough.” I knew those thoughts weren’t true but I was in my head a lot. I had to keep going back to, I’m here for a reason. I got picked. They see something in me. I know I’m a good player, I just need to get out of my head.

Working on that with my sports psychologist, coach, and teammates, and hearing their experiences, helped. They reassured me. I’ve definitely built my confidence on court to where it is now. We all have slip-ups, but I wasn’t always like, “I’m the best, I’m amazing.” That’s not realistic. It’s been built over years.

What tips do you share with young athletes for shooting accuracy?

Practise, practise, practise. If your schedule allows, try to get to the post maybe three times a week outside of training. If you’ve got a hoop at school, at home, at the local courts, or even a basketball hoop use it.

I remember shooting in the backyard with my dad on our basketball hoop with a deflated soccer ball. I’d think, I’ve got to put up shots today, this is the only ball I can find, let’s shoot it. Just get the reps in. The flow builds your confidence. Then when you come to trials or games, you know you’ve done the work: “I’ve put up 300 shots this week, I know how to shoot, I’ll be fine.”

I teach visually. For accuracy, I get them to imagine a triangle on top of the hoop. They need to arc their shot high enough to go up, hit the point of the triangle and then come down. It stops them shooting flat.

To build that one-handed flick, we stand around the post with one hand shooting and the other behind the back, just flicking to the post. Take a step back and see how you go, then add the second hand so it feels natural. That progression really helps accuracy.

What are your go-to tips for teenagers who are nervous about rep trials or trying out for a new team?

Know you’ve done the work leading up. Trust in your own ability. Think about something you could do to stand out that shows you’re a team player. Sometimes that’s helping pack up the balls or offering to fill a teammate’s water bottle. Coaches notice those things. Try not to get too caught up in how one game at trials went. People say, “I didn’t touch the ball,” or, “I didn’t play with my friend,” or, “We didn’t connect well.” That’s okay. Coaches will see what you bring, even with different people. Try not to put too much pressure on it.

From your PlayBook reviews, it’s clear you build a lot of confidence in players through encouragement and belief. Is that something you learned from a mentor, from your primary education degree, or both?

I think it comes from my primary education degree. My dad was a teacher, so I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I’ve done a few placements, and when I’ve worked with kids who really struggle with something and get frustrated, saying, “It’s too hard, I can’t do it,” then finally understand it because we’ve worked on it and looked at it a different way that’s the best feeling. It translates on court. If someone can’t get their shots in or says, “I can’t get away from my defender,” and we work on it together, then their mum texts me saying, “She did it,” or, “She did that move you worked on and smashed trials,” that’s when I think, okay, I’m doing my job.

That’s why I love PlayBook. I can have those mini moments with athletes where we work on something together and get there in the end, it’s pretty special.

Looking for a netball coach? Search here

Keen for some other tips for Rep Trials? Here are some tips and insights for upcoming netball trials