Susan Pettitt

{{short description|Australian international netball player (born 1984)}}

{{Infobox netball biography

|name = Susan Pettitt

|image = SUSAN PRATLEY & SONIA MKOLOMA (2935044637).jpg

|caption =Pettitt (left) in 2008

|updated = 7 November 2014

|fullname = Susan Leanne Pettitt

|maidenname = Pratley

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|3|23|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Canberra, Australia

|death_date =

|death_place =

|height = {{convert|1.80|m}}

|school = Bega High School

|university = University of Sydney

|spouse = Brad Pettitt

|marrieddate = 7 November 2014

|positions = GA, GS

|clubyears1 = 2002

|clubteam1 = Sydney Sandpipers

|clubapps1 = 68

|clubyears2 = 2003–05

|clubteam2 = AIS Canberra Darters

|clubapps2 = 97

|clubyears3 = 2006–07

|clubteam3 = Sydney Swifts

|clubyears4 = 2008–16

|clubteam4 = New South Wales Swifts

|clubyears5 = 2017–18

|clubteam5 = Giants Netball

|nationalyears1 = 2002–05

|nationalteam1 = Australia U21

|nationalyears2 = 2006–18

|nationalteam2 = Australian Netball Diamonds

|nationalcaps2 = 71

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{nb|Australia}}}}

}}

Susan Leanne Pettitt (née Pratley on 23 March 1984) is a former Australian international netball player, who played goal attack or goal shooter. She was a member of the Australian national team from 2006–2018, replacing the likes of Eloise Southby-Halbish, Megan Dehn, and Cynna Kydd. Prior to this she was quite an experienced campaigner as captain of the Australian 21 and under team, and the national league team AIS Canberra Darters.

She made her debut in 2002 with Sydney Sandpipers.{{cite news|url=https://www.begadistrictnews.com.au/story/5521922/a-giant-finish-for-pettitt/|title=Susan Pettitt to retire from netball|work=Bega District News|date=12 July 2018|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

From 2003 to 2005 Pettitt was the cornerstone of Australia's development squads, with her notable leadership, composure, and shooting accuracy and reliable volume. Then in 2006 she joined the Sydney Swifts national league team to suddenly become a partner to shooting dynamo Catherine Cox, and with both Cox and Sharelle McMahon in the Australian team.{{cite news|date=8 July 2016|accessdate=19 January 2019|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/zela/article/2016/07/06/swifts-player-susan-pettitt-her-teams-wake-call|title=Swift's player Susan Pettitt on her team’s wake up call|publisher=SBS}}

She has captained the Australian 21U Team and was Vice-Captain of the Australian 21U Team which competed in the World Youth Cup in Fort Lauderdale where they finished third. Pettitt captained the AIS Canberra Darters in 2004 and 2005 and finished her netball scholarship at the AIS at the end of 2005. She moved to Sydney in early 2006 and made her debut for Australia at the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games at which she was a recipient of a silver medal.{{cite web|url=http://www.giantsnetball.com.au/pettitt-selected-gc2018/|title=Pettitt selected for GC2018|date=5 February 2018|accessdate=19 January 2019}} Four months later Susan was named player of the match after an outstanding performance against the Silver Ferns in Australia.

She was the vice-captain of the New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship, though since 2017 has been a member of the Giants Netball team in the new Suncorp Super Netball league. She announced her retirement from domestic and international netball at the end of the 2018 season.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/diamonds-and-giants-star-calls-time-on-career-20180711-p4zqv3.html|author=Buckley, James|title=Diamonds and Giants star calls time on career|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=12 July 2018|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Early career

From the small country town of Quaama, 20 km from Bega on the far south coast of New South Wales, this Australian representative and world champion even has a grandstand in her name. “The Susan Pratley Stand” in Bega, stands proudly as testament to the south coast's first netball world champion.

Pettitt was identified in her early teens by selectors and rose through the junior representative ranks with speed and poise including AIS and NSWIS scholarships.{{cite web|url=http://ulladulladistrictsna.nsw.netball.com.au/pageitem.aspx?id=127257&id2=1&eID=39241&entityID=39241|title=SP Netball Clinic 28 May 2017|publisher=Ulladulla & Districts Netball Association|date=31 May 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Commonwealth Bank Trophy

Pettitt took the court for the Sydney Swifts during their premiership-winning Commonwealth Bank Trophy season,{{cite news|url=https://www.cowraguardian.com.au/story/3379475/school-holiday-treat-for-netball-fans/|title=School holiday treat for netball fans|work=Cowra Guardian|date=25 September 2015|accessdate=19 January 2019}} forming a partnership with fellow Australian representative Catherine Cox. Pettitt put her name in the history books after executing a perfect shooting performance during the Commonwealth Bank Trophy Grand Final match and shot 26 goals without a miss. She was also a member of the Swifts' premiership-winning team in 2007.

ANZ Championship

Pettitt currently plays for the New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship. In 2015, Pettitt is entering her 8th season with the club. She is the most capped player for the New South Wales Swifts with 97 ANZ Championship caps and the only player to have taken part in all 97 New South Wales Swifts matches since the first ANZ Championship match against the Southern Steel in 2008 at which she made 28 goals out of 31 attempts.{{cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/netball/netball-steel-shows-mettle-%E2%80%93-just-not-enough|author=Robert van Royen|title=Netball: Steel shows mettle – just not enough|work=Otago Daily Times|date=2 March 2015|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Pettitt was a member of the inaugural ANZ Championship winners the New South Wales Swifts. In the Grand Final at Acer Arena on 28 July 2008 the New South Wales Swifts defeated the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 65 – 56. Pettitt played GA, shooting 24 goals out of 30 attempts at 80%.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/netball/553294/Swift-win-for-NSW|title= Swift win for NSW|website=Stuff.co.nz|date=31 January 2009|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

She is one of the five Australian netball players who is an ANZ ambassador.{{cite web|url=https://netball.com.au/pratley-joins-team-gilbert-as-brand-ambassador/|title=Pretley joins Team Gilbert as brand ambassador|date=15 July 2014|accessdate=19 January 2019}} Pettitt has been the vice-captain of the New South Wales Swifts since 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.nswswifts.com.au/archives/portfolio-2/team2/susan-pettitt|title=Susan Pettitt|publisher=NSW Swifts|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

On 10 April 2010, Pettitt played her 100th senior game against the Central Pulse scoring 27/31. Pettitt played her 75th ANZ Championship game against the West Coast Fever in Round 5 of the 2013 season at which she scored 32 goals out of 38 attempts,{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/swifts-open-season-with-win-over-fever-20130326-2gqwl.html|title=Swifts open season with win over Fever|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 March 2013|accessdate=19 January 2019}} and notched her 150th combined elite netball games in Round 13 of the same season against the Queensland Firebirds at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/4685711/Queensland-Firebirds-upset-NSW-Swifts|title=Queensland Firebirds upset NSW Swifts|website=Stuff.co.nz|date=23 February 2011|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Australian Diamonds

In 2007, Pettitt played in the 2007 World Netball Championships and played in either Goal Attack or Goal Shooter. In the grand final against the New Zealand national netball team, Pettitt was called to play in the second half replacing Sharelle McMahon, a surprise move by Norma Plummer to help improve on the team's accuracy. This went very well until Pettitt got a concussion which she was benched during the fourth quarter. Her contribution was enough for Australia to win the 2007 World Netball Championships. Pettitt was selected into the Diamonds squad in 2010 heading into the Commonwealth Games in India. She did not play in the Grand Final against the New Zealand national netball team. However, she did get court time against Samoa and shot 25/27 (93%),{{cite news|author=Luke, Pentony|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-04/diamonds-hammer-samoa-in-games-opener/2284726|title=Diamonds hammer Samoa in Games opener|department=ABC News|publisher=ABC|date=8 October 2010|accessdate=19 January 2019}} India and shot 39/42 (93%), Malawi and shot 36/39 (92%){{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-08/diamonds-stay-perfect-with-malawi-rout/2290972|title=Diamonds stay perfect with Malawi rout|agency=AAP|department=ABC News|publisher=ABC|date=8 October 2010|accessdate=19 January 2019}} and Trinidad and Tobago and shot 17/21 (81%). Pettitt did not get selected into the 2011 World Netball Championships Squad, a huge blow for her with the likes of Erin Bell with her versatility in GS, GA and WA making it in front of Susan Pettitt. In November 2011, Pettitt entered the Australian Fastnet Diamonds going into the 3rd Fastnet Series in Liverpool, England and was announced co-captain alongside Bianca Chatfield.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/australian-mixes-up-fastnet-diamonds-team-20111013-1lmrq.html|author=Bruce, Victoria|title=Australian mixes up FastNet Diamonds team|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=13 October 2011|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

In 2012, Pettitt regained her place in the Australian Diamonds team for the 2012 Constellation Cup against the Silver Ferns and the Quad Series against the Silver Ferns, England and the South Africa SPAR Proteas in all of which she played along with Catherine Cox.{{cite news|author=Partland, Warren|accessdate=19 January 2019|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/netball/diamonds-dynamic-duo-cath-cox-and-susan-pratley-sparkling/news-story/0c1e92e6592a9d8e8f89c8913320ce8d?sv=6af56f6888bee19f6d52e2a5d4375bdd|title=Diamonds' dynamic duo Cath Cox and Susan Pratley sparkling|work=Herald Sun/The Courier-Mail|date=16 October 2012}} Pettitt was also selected in the Australian Diamonds team to tour England in January 2013. Later in 2013, Pettitt was completely dropped from the Australian Diamonds not even being selected in the extended squad.{{cite news|title=Diamonds talk is all about who's out|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/diamonds-talk-is-all-about-whos-out-20150415-1mlolc.html|author=Ellis, Liz|date=15 April 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|accessdate=19 January 2019}} After improving her fitness throughout 2014, Pettitt was again selected in the Australian Diamonds squad, but failed to make the final team.{{cite news|date=10 May 2017|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/susan-pettitts-tears-of-relief-at-diamonds-games-netball-callup/news-story/37ab5f4fdde2346d18456a5221639758|author=Lulham, Amanda|title=Susan Pettitt’s tears of relief at Diamonds Games netball call-up|work=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

In 2017, after being gone for three years, Susan Pettitt had returned to the Australian Diamonds and had a 57–50 victory over Silver Ferns and redeemed her MVP title.{{cite news|url=https://nsw.netball.com.au/internationals/diamonds-start-series-with-win-over-ferns/|title=Diamonds start series with win over Ferns|publisher=Netball New South Wales|date=30 January 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}} During the same game, Susan Pettitt was instrumental during her time on court for the first half, finishing with 10 goals out of 14 attempts, along with eight feeds before making way for Stephanie Wood at half-time.{{cite web|url=http://www.giantsnetball.com.au/diamonds-claim-bragging-rights-series-opener/|title=Diamonds claim bragging rights in series opener|publisher=Giants Netball|date=6 October 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}} The same year she also participated in the Constellation Cup{{cite news|author=Lulham, Amanda|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/diamonds-shooting-for-netball-success-with-new-look/news-story/a64c7342a21a817e5eba861e7dcd24c2|title=Diamonds shooting for netball success with new look|work=The Australian|date=3 July 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}} and was auditioned for a gold medal shot at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/giants-netballer-susan-pettitt-picked-in-diamonds-constellation-cup-squad-20170626-gwympm.html|author=Buckley, James|title=Giants netballer Susan Pettitt picked in Diamonds' Constellation Cup squad|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 June 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}} In the middle of 2017 she had switched to Giants Netball, and participated in a game against Melbourne Vixens.{{cite news|author=Tiernan, Eamonn|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/giants-netball-and-susan-pettitt-back-in-capital-for-melbourne-vixens-clash-20170510-gw1f6g.html|title=Giants Netball and Susan Pettitt back in capital for Melbourne Vixens clash|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=10 May 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

In 2018, after playing for over 12 years, Pettitt had announced retirement.{{cite news|title=Pettitt seeks netball fairytale ending|url=https://www.redlandcitybulletin.com.au/story/5572691/pettitt-seeks-netball-fairytale-ending/?cs=3674|author=Warren, Adrian|date=7 August 2018|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Personal life

Susan Pettitt have two brothers (Graeme and Mark) and sister (Joanne) who also are sportspeople.{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/netball/humble-beginnings-of-a-shooting-star-20111124-1nwul.html|title=Humble beginnings of a shooting star|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=25 November 2011|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

Pettitt is a resident of the Albion Park. where she lives on a farm with her husband Brad and animals.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/swoop/netball-giants-star-susan-pettitt-aiming-for-fairytale-finish-to-her-career/news-story/e92a93c0df9220c38ade33d05c7fa04c|author=Lulham, Amanda|title=Netball: Giants star Susan Pettitt aiming for fairytale finish to her career|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=18 August 2018|accessdate=19 January 2019}} Together with Brad, she likes to drive a coffee truck and watch Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.{{cite web|url=http://www.giantsnetball.com.au/diamonds-coffee-machines-prats/|title=Diamonds & coffee machines for Prats|publisher=Giants Netball|date=31 August 2017|accessdate=19 January 2019}}

On 1 December 2013, Pettitt announced her engagement to Brad Pettitt. They were married on 7 November 2014 at Terrara House near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales.

Prior to the wedding, Pettitt was featured twice in the Swifts Insider issue, a magazine by the New South Wales SwiftsSwifts Insider. 7(4) 2014.Swifts Insider 7(5) 2014. and in 2015 was featured again in the same magazine.Swifts Insider 8(1) 2015.

ANZ Championship accolades

2009 NSW Swifts Members' Player of the Year
2012 ANZ Championship Most Valuable Player nominee
2012 QBE NSW Swifts Most Valued Player
2014 FOXTEL ANZ Championship All-Star Team (GA)

National representation

Netball career facts

2006 Commonwealth Games Silver Medal
2007 World Netball Championships gold medal
2008 ANZ Championship premiers
2009 New Idea Australia's Favourite Diamond
2010 Commonwealth Games Silver Medal (double extra-time)
2012–2013 NSW Swifts vice-captain
2013 Australian Fast5 Flyers – Silver Medalists
2014 NSW Swifts Leadership Group

References

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090915124924/http://nswswifts.com.au/extra.asp?ID=4186 2009 New South Wales profile]. Retrieved on 28 March 2009.
[https://archive.today/20130117044043/http://www.anz-championship.com/playerprofile.asp?team=54274&id=135&comp=14303&orgid=2344&showbanner=1 2010 ANZ Championship profile]. Retrieved on 20 October 2010.
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706110741/http://www.nswswifts.com.au/newsitem.asp?id=16097&orgid=2420 Pratley celebrates 100th game with a win]. Retrieved on 16 April 2010.