The Australian Women's Register

Summary

When Anne Sargeant was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1987, she was only the third netballer to be accorded the honour. For the woman who began her netball career at the age of seven playing with the Forest Club in New South Wales, ‘there was not greater honour…To be considered an all-time sporting great and to be counted alongside people you have admired and looked up to all your life is the greatest accolade.’

Sargeant thoroughly deserved the accolade. From the age of 10, Sargeant represented her district, Manly-Warringah in New South Wales, where she captain/coached the team to six NSW titles in six years. She played for the NSW Open team from 1978, and was captain from 1982 until 1988, during which time the team won the national championships in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988.

A top rated player, in 1978 Sargeant was selected in the NSW and Australian teams, touring England with the undefeated national squad.

Sargeant played in three World Championships, the last two as captain. In 1979 she helped Australia to equal first place with New Zealand in Trinidad and Tobago, and in 1983 Australia defeated New Zealand in Singapore. 1987, in Glasgow, Scotland, Australia finished third behind New Zealand and Trinidad & Tobago.

Sargeant played in the Tri-Test series against England and Trinidad and Tobago in 1981, and in 1986 led the team in another Tri-Test series against Jamaica and New Zealand.

Among many highlights of Anne’s career was a tour of Wales in 1985 when she captained an undefeated Australian side and posted a career personal best of three consecutive 100% shooting games. In that year, she was named the New South Wales Sportswoman of the Year. She was inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions in 1988 and awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia that same year for her service to netball.

After she finished playing and coaching, Sargeant continued to promote the sport as a writer and media commentator. Her talents as a public speaker are well known and recognised when she was awarded the 1992 Communicator of the Year Award by the Public Relations Institute of Australia.

In 2004, Anne Sargeant was named Sydney’s Greatest Ever Netballer.

Events

• 1978 - 1988

  Member of the All Australia Netball Team

• 1983

  Captain of the All Australia Netball Team

• 1979

  Member of the World Champion Team

• 1983

  Member of the World Champion Team

• 1980 - 1981

  Dunlop Footwear Netball Player of the Year

• 1985

  New South Wales Sportswoman of the Year

• 1987

  Inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame

• 1988 - 2006

  Anne Sargeant Commentated Netball for the Australian Broadcasting Commission

• 1988

  Awarded Order of Australia Medal

• 1998

  Jet Cat (Sydney Ferries) named after Anne Sargeant

• 2004

  Named Sydney’s Greatest Ever Netballer

• 1998

  Recipient, Netball Australia Service Award