Sunshine Coast Lightning Head Coach Kylee Byrne has reached out to Members and fans after the announcement of her contract extension to thank them for their ongoing support.
While another COVID-19 interrupted season limited personal interactions between Club personnel and supporters, Byrne said it was something the team greatly missed.
“Every cheer from the crowd and one-on-one chat at earlier events has been a welcome reminder of how important our Members and our community really are to all of us here at Lightning,” Byrne said.
Looking forward to the 2022 season and beyond, Byrne is hopeful that there will be a return to more normalcy with capacity crowd attendance and limited disruptions to events – allowing Lightning to embrace their community Club mantra.
“The energy and enthusiasm that surrounds this Club is really special and I can’t wait to lead our team again next year – hopefully with Members and fans cheering from the stands for a full season,” she said.
Lightning bowed out of the finals campaign last weekend against West Coast Fever, but Byrne said the hurt of the loss will only make her team more determined to win next year.
“The loss on Saturday still stings. I truly believed that any of the four clubs in the finals could come out the other end as Premiers – but this year it wasn’t Lightning’s turn,” she said.
“What I do know is that, as a Club, we do not like to lose and this feeling will fuel our motivation to work harder and smarter headed into next year.
“After a well-deserved rest (or international netball commitments for a lucky few), I know this team will come back together refreshed and more competitive than ever.”
