As of one week ago, that dream became a reality as Brereton was announced as head coach of the Melbourne Vixens Super Netball Reserves squad.
Brereton has a long and impressive netball resumé having played for the Vixens’ predecessor club, the Melbourne Kestrals, coached the Victorian under-17 and under-19 teams and is the inaugural head coach of Victorian Netball League (VNL) club, the Bendigo Strikers.
The veteran coach also has a long history in the Goulburn Valley Netball League, having led Shepparton Netball Club for 16 years before moving to Nathalia for the 2024 season.
The Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) Reserves competition will run from June 1 to July 7.
Brereton said the length of the tournament appealed to her.
“It’s a short program, so I guess that interested me that it wasn’t such a long commitment like a state campaign,” she said.
“It’s a pilot program that Netball Australia are running this year as they are trying to get back the old Australian Netball League (ANL) that used to be there prior to COVID-19 hitting.
“They (Nathalia) knew that anything to do with VNL, state or Melbourne stuff, that sort of comes first and that’s why it has been good that myself and Kara Blizzard have been able to do a co-coaching role.
Since moving to the Murray Netball League, Brereton said she had been impressed with the talent at the Purples and throughout the competition.
Nathalia fans can rest easy, as after the SSN Reserves season is done and dusted, Brereton will continue with her coaching role at the club.
Brereton is excited about the reinvigoration of the SSN Reserves competition, as she believes the league provides developing players with more exposure to elite-level netball.
“How exciting to be able to work with those top-level athletes and you have got a range of athletes that you are working with,” she said.
“You have got ones that are training partners for Vixens, you have got ones that are maybe on the cusp of being training partners and then you have got ones in the developmental phase that who knows where their future lies.
“The old ANL or this competition that sits underneath SSN is, it’s not quite like VFL football; it’s probably a competition that sits in between your AFL and VFL.
“It really is girls right on the cusp of having their dreams realised and picking up a contract.”
After earning her elite coaching accreditation in 2022, Brereton has continued her rise through the ranks of high-level netball.
The Vixens reserves coach said she had noticed an increase in the amount of pressure placed on each match and that consistent concentration was the key to coaching in the top grades.
“Even going from 17-and-under head coach in state to 19-and-under head coach and then doing championship VNL; each level you do feel the pressure of games builds and builds,” she said.
“The thing I am probably noticing the most is you can do more ‘tech’ and ‘tac’ (technical and tactical) type of stuff, but the games are so close all the time.
“There is never any big margins and it is just so competitive and that is what I am noticing the most is that you really have to be on and thinking always across every play.”
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