Understanding the physical performance capabilities across female netball athletes in the Northern Territory

This project examines the physical profiles and biological maturation of female netball athletes aged 15 years and older within Netball NT's talent pathway and representative programs. Using a longitudinal design, data will be collected at three time points across a competitive season (prior to pre-season, end of pre-season, and end of season) from approximately 35–50 athletes tested in Darwin and Alice Springs. The testing battery includes anthropometry and non-invasive maturity status estimation, countermovement jump, linear sprint speed (5/10/20 m), change-of-direction ability (505 test), isometric mid-thigh pull strength, and aerobic capacity (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test). NT athlete data will be benchmarked against published national norms for netball athletes of comparable age and playing level to identify areas where NT athletes diverge from national standards. As geographic isolation, climate, and limited access to specialised training infrastructure are hypothesised to affect physical development, NT athletes are expected to show below-benchmark profiles in some areas. Findings will provide the first systematic evidence base characterising NT female netball athletes' physical and maturational development, and will directly inform the design of targeted, evidence-based training programs within Netball NT's talent pathway, with the broader aim of improving athlete preparedness and supporting more equitable outcomes in national talent pathways.