Stevens to guide NSW Phoenix’s rising stars
Mikaela Stevens is the first to admit that the 2023 Mahindra Super League was a tough season for the NSW Phoenix.
“We had a very young team for the majority of the season, with many of our experienced players away with the national team or returning to college/professional contracts,” Stevens said.
“Given the majority of the girls’ ages and playing experience, they did a fabulous job taking on more senior and experienced players from other states. They learned a lot, which will be valuable for us coming into this new AVSL season.”
The introduction of the Super League format brought both excitement and challenges for the NSW players.
“I found the new format fun and exciting, and I love that VA is trying to increase exposure to volleyball in Australia,” Stevens said.
“Having televised matches was an awesome outcome of the new format. It felt a little odd at times not having to win by 2 and sets finishing at 18, but that would become more normal had I played more rounds, I’m sure.”
As the NSW Phoenix prepare for the 2024 season, Stevens is optimistic about the team’s composition and has clear goals.
“We have some returners as well as some new faces this season,” she said.
“Phoenix has a lot of young, athletic girls who have been coming through our junior program, so it will be exciting to see how they integrate into the senior program and higher-level matches.
“Of course, this year, we will look to improve on our placing from last year and hopefully make it to the finals. Overall, we just want to continue to develop as players individually, as well as continue to develop the culture and playing standard/style for the senior women’s Phoenix teams.”
As Stevens leads the Phoenix into the new season, her focus on building a strong team culture and developing young talent sets the stage for a promising future. As captain of the Volleyroos, Stevens brings invaluable experience and leadership.
“I would love to bring some of the key cultural elements we have developed within our women’s Volleyroos squad into our Phoenix team,” she said.
“Our culture in the women’s Volleyroos has been a standout key we’ve been working on, especially in the last few years. With many of the young players across the league hopefully feeding into our National Team Program one day, it’s a great chance to give them an insight into what being a women’s Volleyroo is like. So, for me to be able to give an insight to the NSW Phoenix squad on how the women’s Volleyroos strive to act and play is an awesome opportunity.”
The NSW Phoenix will take on the Canberra Heat will in the first round of the season on Saturday 31 August at Sydney Olympic Park.
Click here for more information on the 2024 Mahindra Super League.
