Donnell Wallam facts for kids

Donnell Wallam, born on January 23, 1994, is a talented Australian netball player. She currently plays for the Northern Mystics team in the ANZ Premiership league. In October 2022, Donnell made history. She became only the third Indigenous netball player to join the Australian Diamonds. This is Australia's national netball team. The other two amazing players before her were Marcia Ella and Sharon Finnan.

Early Life and Netball Journey

Donnell Wallam is a proud Noongar woman. She grew up in Korijekup, a small country town near Harvey, Western Australia. This town is about two hours south of Perth. Before playing netball, Donnell enjoyed playing basketball.

Discovering Netball

Donnell started playing netball in Waroona, Western Australia. Her netball coach, Daniel Cools, saw her talent. He encouraged her to try out for the West Australian Netball League (WANL). This happened in December 2018.

Rising Star in Western Australia

In 2019, Donnell played her first year in the WANL. She played for the West Coast Warriors team. She quickly became a star player. Donnell won the prestigious Jill McIntosh Medal. She also won the League Player's Player of the Year award.

In 2020, Donnell continued to shine. She was chosen for the WANL All-Stars team. This team played against the professional West Coast Fever team. Donnell was also selected for the Western Sting team. This team plays in the Australian Netball League. However, the 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID. Despite this, she again won the Jill McIntosh Medal. She also won the League Player's Player of the Year award for the West Coast Warriors. Her amazing skills led to her being offered a training contract. This was with the West Coast Fever for the 2021 Super Netball season.

Playing Overseas

In 2021, Donnell moved to England. She joined the Leeds Rhinos team. They play in the Netball Superleague. Sadly, in her second game, she broke her arm.

Overcoming Challenges

Donnell worked hard to recover. She returned to play after seven weeks. She was known as the most accurate shooter in the league. She scored 95 percent of her shots. Her season in England ended early. She returned home because her grandmother passed away.

Back in Australia

In 2022, Donnell joined the Queensland Firebirds team. They play in the Suncorp Super Netball League. She took over from the famous goal shooter Romelda Aiken.

Firebirds Success

In her first season with the Firebirds, Donnell scored 519 goals. She was one of the top 20 players for Nissan Net Points. Her great performances caught the eye of national selectors. She was named in the Australian Diamonds Squad. This was for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She traveled to Birmingham as one of three reserve players.

Australian Diamonds Debut

Before her first game for the Australian Diamonds, Donnell faced a challenge. She asked for permission not to wear the Hancock Prospecting logo. This was on her playing uniform. She had concerns about the company's founder, Lang Hancock. His past views on Indigenous people were a problem for her.

A Difficult Decision

This led to many discussions. Netball Australia, the Diamonds players, and Hancock Prospecting met. The media also covered the story widely. In the end, Hancock Prospecting decided to stop sponsoring Netball Australia.

Making History

Despite these challenges, Donnell played her first game. It was for the Australian Diamonds on October 26, 2022. They played against the England Roses. The game was in Newcastle, New South Wales. Donnell came into the game with only ten minutes left. She shot eight out of eight goals. She even scored the winning goal with seconds to spare! Her Australian Diamonds number is 189.

In 2024, Donnell signed with the Northern Mystics. She will play for them in the 2025 ANZ Premiership season.

Awards and Recognition

• 2022 - Australian Institute of Sport Emerging Athlete of the Year