Michelle den Dekker , also known as Michelle Fielke, is an Australian netballer from South Australia. den Dekker represented Australia in 84 tests between 1988 and 1995, including a record 71 as
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1992.
Netball career
Life member of the
Garville Netball Club
Garville Netball Club are an Australian netball team based in Woodville, Adelaide, South Australia. Their senior team currently plays in the Netball South Australia Premier League. During the 1990s they played at a national level, representing ...
from 1989 to 1995 and helping the club clinch five premierships in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995. In the national league, den Dekker was captain-coach of the Queensland Firebirds in 1997-98 before returning home to the now defunct
Adelaide Ravens
Adelaide Ravens were an Australian netball team that, together with Adelaide Thunderbirds, represented Netball South Australia in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. In 1997 Ravens were founder members of the league. In 1999 they were grand fi ...
.
den Dekker made her Australian debut in 1985, and led Australian to two world championships as captain (1991 and 1995). Michelle played a total of 84 test matches for Australia between 1985 and 1995, including 71 as captain. As captain her team enjoyed a win loss ratio of 92% (65 wins, 6 losses).
den Dekker was voted as Adelaide's greatest netballer to have fronted for the Adelaide Thunderbirds or Adelaide Ravens.
She was inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Coaching career
den Dekker OAM was appointed Head Coach of Netball Australia’s new Centre of Excellence in Canberra in April 2014.
den Dekker was the Diamonds Assistant coach for the
Australian Netball Diamonds
The Australia national netball team, also known as the Australian Diamonds, represent Netball Australia in international netball tournaments such as the INF Netball World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Constellation Cup, the Netball Quad Ser ...
until August 2015 (the
2015 Netball World Cup
The Netball World Cup Sydney 2015 (NWC2015) was the 14th edition of the INF Netball World Cup, the premier competition in international netball. It was held from 7–16 August, in Sydney, Australia, which secured hosting rights after defeating ...
). Currently still works as a consultant for Netball Australia as a Defence Specialist coach and manages her own Netball consultancy business working to develop our next generation of players and coaches in South Australia
Awards
* Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1992
* SA Great Award, for services to sport in South Australia in 1993.
* Inducted into the
Australian Netball Hall of Fame
The Australian Netball Hall of Fame was established by Netball Australia in 2008 in Australia, 2008. The inaugural inductees included Margaret Caldow, Anne Sargeant, Vicki Wilson and Joyce Brown (netball), Joyce Brown.
Athlete members
The foll ...
2009
* Inducted into the Inaugural South Australian Hall Of Fame 2010
* Ambassador for the SA Sports Hall Of Fame alongside Legend
Barrie Robran
Barrie Charles Robran MBE (born 25 September 1947 in Whyalla, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) from 1967 to 1980. He won South Australian footbal ...
AM.
* Inducted into
Sport Australia Hall of Fame
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame was established on 10 December 1985 to recognise the achievements of Australian sportsmen and sportswomen. The inaugural induction included 120 members with Sir Don Bradman as the first inductee and Dawn Fraser th ...
in 2020.
References
External sources
Michelle de DekkerNetball Australia
{{DEFAULTSORT:den Dekker, Michelle
Living people
1966 births
Australia international netball players
Netball players at the 1989 World Games
Netball players at the 1993 World Games
Netball players at the 1985 World Games
Australian netball coaches
Adelaide Thunderbirds coaches
Queensland Firebirds players
Netball players from South Australia
Australian Institute of Sport netball coaches
Adelaide Ravens players
ANZ Championship coaches
Contax Netball Club players
Garville Netball Club players
Esso/Mobil Superleague players
South Australia state netball league players
Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
1991 World Netball Championships players
1995 World Netball Championships players