Clare McMeniman (born 11 July 1985), also known as Clare Ferguson, is a former Australia netball international player. She captained Australia when they won the 2016 Netball Quad Series and the 2016 Constellation Cup. McMeniman was also a member of the Queensland Firebirds team that won the 2011, 2015 and 2016 ANZ Championships.

Clare McMeniman
Personal information
Full name Clare Ferguson (née McMeniman)
Born (1985-07-11) 11 July 1985 (age 39)
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
School Warwick West State School
John Paul College
University University of Queensland
Relatives Hugh McMeniman (brother)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GD, WD
Years Club team(s) Apps
2004–2006 AIS Canberra Darters
2007–2016 Queensland Firebirds
Years National team(s) Caps
2014–2016 Australia 15
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Fast5 Netball World Series
Silver medal – second place 2014 Auckland Team
World Youth Netball Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Fort Lauderdale Team

Early life, family and education

edit

McMeniman was raised in Warwick, Queensland. She is the daughter of Geoff and Anne-Maree McMeniman. Her father, a solicitor, died in 2009 and her mother died in 2012. Her older brother, Hugh McMeniman, is a former Australian rugby union international player. She was educated at Warwick West State School and John Paul College, Brisbane.[1][2][3][4][5][6] She also attended the University of Queensland where she gained a Bachelor of Science degree in 2007 and a Masters of Speech Pathology degree in 2010.[7] During her playing career, she also worked full-time as a speech pathologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane.[2][5]

Playing career

edit

AIS Canberra Darters

edit

Between 2004 and 2006, McMeniman played for AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league. Her Darters team mates included Laura Geitz.[5][8][9][10][11][12] In 2005 she received the league's Best New Talent award.[13]

Queensland Firebirds

edit

Between 2007 and 2016, McMeniman played for Queensland Firebirds, originally in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy league and subsequently in the ANZ Championship. After helping Firebirds win the 2011 ANZ Championship, she initially announced her retirement. However, after missing the 2012 and 2013 seasons, she returned to play for Firebirds in 2014. She subsequently helped Firebirds win two further ANZ Championships in 2015 and 2016. Together with Romelda Aiken and Laura Geitz, McMeniman was one of only three players who featured in all three Championship winning squads.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

Australia

edit

McMeniman was a member of the Australia U21 that won a bronze medal at the 2005 World Youth Netball Championships[1][12][13][15] On 22 October 2014, McMeniman made her senior Australia debut during a Test series against England.[19][21][22] Together with Erin Bell, she subsequently co-captained Australia at the 2014 Fast5 Netball World Series.[22][23] McMeniman was included in an 18-player squad for the 2015 Netball World Cup but missed out on selection when the squad was reduced to 12.[4][24][25][26]

In January 2016 McMeniman captained Australia when they won an away Test series against England.[27][28] She subsequently captained Australia as they won the 2016 Netball Quad Series.[25][26][29][30] She retired as a netball player after leading Australia to victory in the 2016 Constellation Cup.[6][30][31][32][33]

Tournaments Place
2005 World Youth Netball Championships[1][12][13][15]  
2014 Fast5 Netball World Series[22][23][34]  
2016 Netball Quad Series[26][25][29][30]  
2016 Constellation Cup.[6][30][31][32][33]  

Coaching career

edit

In 2014 McMeniman and Laura Geitz established Fuel2Fly, a company organizing netball training sessions and clinics.[35][36][37][38] In 2018 and 2019 McMeniman, now Ferguson, was a member of Lisa Alexander's coaching staff with Australia.[39][40][41][42][43] In 2020 Ferguson joined Roselee Jencke's coaching staff at Queensland Firebirds.[44]

Honours

edit
Australia
Queensland Firebirds
Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "McMeniman to go out on a high". www.warwickdailynews.com.au. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Netballer returns to Firebirds". www.northernstar.com.au. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Watch Clare McMeniman live in action in England". www.seniorsnews.com.au. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Firebirds ace Clare McMeniman opens up on death of her parents and Laura Geitz friendship". www.couriermail.com.au. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "Clare McMeniman 'not like' Wallabies brother Hugh McMeniman on the field as she hunts her Diamonds dream". www.canberratimes.com.au. 2 September 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Clare McMeniman to retire from netball later this year". www.warwickdailynews.com.au. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Clare McMeniman". alumni.uq.edu.au. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  8. ^ "2004 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  9. ^ "2005 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  10. ^ "2006 AIS Netball Program". Clearinghouse for Sport. Australian Sports Commission. Archived from the original on 24 March 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  11. ^ "Netballer Laura on fire". www.warwickdailynews.com.au. 10 February 2005. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  12. ^ a b c "Darters go for goals". www.themorningbulletin.com.au. 13 May 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  13. ^ a b c "Netball Australia - Annual Report 05" (PDF). Netball Australia. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  14. ^ "McMeniman retires". freetimes.com.au. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  15. ^ a b c "Allora skipper leads Firebirds to record-breaking third win". www.themorningbulletin.com.au. 31 July 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  16. ^ "2011 Netball Queensland Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  17. ^ "2015 Netball Queensland Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  18. ^ "2015–16 Netball Queensland Annual Report" (PDF). Netball Queensland. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Clare McMeniman". diamonds.netball.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Queensland Netball Thriving At The Top Level". supernetball.com.au. 25 August 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  21. ^ "McMeniman given chance to shine with Diamonds". netball.com.au. 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  22. ^ a b c "Australian Fast5: Clare McMeniman named captain of Fast5 Flyers less than a week after debut for Australia". www.news.com.au. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  23. ^ a b "Clare McMeniman ready to lead the Fast5". www.noosanews.com.au. 7 November 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  24. ^ "Our girls in netball squad of 18". www.warwickdailynews.com.au. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  25. ^ a b c "Clare to captain Diamonds as Laura rested for Quad Series". www.themorningbulletin.com.au. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  26. ^ a b c "Diamonds captain Clare McMeniman makes up for lost time". www.stuff.co.nz. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  27. ^ "Clare McMeniman handed Diamonds' captaincy for netball tour of England". www.theguardian.com. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  28. ^ "Netball: Australia beat England 55-41 to secure series sweep in London". www.skysports.com. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  29. ^ a b "Diamonds named winners of Netball Quad Series". womensportreport.com. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  30. ^ a b c d "Diamonds, Firebirds star Clare McMeniman to bring curtain down on netball career after Kiwi series". www.couriermail.com.au. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Retiring Australian Diamonds star Clare McMenamin hopes for Constellation Cup victory in final outing". www.heraldsun.com.au. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  32. ^ a b "Aussie Diamonds retain Constellation Cup". womensportreport.com. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  33. ^ a b "Firebirds legend has no regrets about retirement". www.northernstar.com.au. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  34. ^ "Fast5 Flyers Keep Grand Final Dream Alive". netball.com.au. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  35. ^ "Laura and Clare ready to coach Downs girls". www.dailymercury.com.au. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  36. ^ "Team Girls – Our Ambassadors". www.suncorp.com.au. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  37. ^ "Team Girls – Fuel2Fly". www.suncorp.com.au. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  38. ^ "Fuel2Fly". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  39. ^ "Diamonds appoint specialist coaches". www.espn.co.uk. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  40. ^ "Australian Diamonds bolster netball coaching staff". www.espn.co.uk. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  41. ^ "Diamonds bolster netball coaching staff". www.sbs.com.au. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  42. ^ "How Silver Ferns' World Cup win led to end of Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander's reign". www.stuff.co.nz. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  43. ^ "Samsung Australian Diamonds Team (2018)" (PDF). 21 February 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  44. ^ "Phoenix Rising". firebirds.net.au. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.