Cynna Kydd
Encyclopedia
Cynna Kydd is a former Australia
n professional netball
player. Kydd achieved some success in netball and swimming in her early life, and played in the Dairy Farmers State League at the age of 16. She was also selected for the national under-21 team in 1999 and was accepted by the Australian Institute of Sport
, before launching her professional career.
Kydd was a goal shooter for the Melbourne Kestrels
in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
from 2000 to 2006, serving as club captain for the last two years. An accurate and high-scoring shooter, she was one of the league's top players of that era, winning the competition's Most Valuable Player award for 2004. She was also a frequent member of the Australian national netball team from 2003 to 2005. Her career was hampered by injury and poor form in later years, and she struggled after being dropped from the national side in early 2005 and missing out on a return in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games
after sustaining a serious concussion late in the year.
Kydd made the surprise decision at the beginning of the 2006 season to transfer from the Kestrels, where she had been captain, to the club's more successful rival, the Melbourne Phoenix
, but she lasted only one season before walking away from the club to travel overseas. She subsequently signed with New Zealand
club Canterbury Flames
for the 2007 National Bank Cup
season, but withdrew her services before playing a game due to injury. She subsequently moved to England, where she currently plays mixed minor grade netball.
regional town of Kyabram
, and began playing competitive netball at age nine. Though also a talented swimmer, she was forced to make a choice between the two sports, and ultimately chose netball. She played for local and Goulburn Valley
representative teams as a teenager and, in 1998 at the age of 16, was selected to play for the dominant Eastside Netball Club
in the state Dairy Farmers State League
competition, alongside three national league players. Despite a regular three-hour commute and having to juggle sporting commitments with studies at Kyabram Secondary College
, she played an integral role in Eastside's premiership that year. She was subsequently named in the state under-21 squad for the annual Australian National Netball Championships
and in the Melbourne Kestrels
squad for the 1999 season.
Despite never having played a national league game, Kydd was selected in the national under-21 (U-21) team in 1999, which, as a result of reforms made that year, automatically saw her admitted to the Australian Institute of Sport
(AIS). She spent the 1999 season playing for the AIS team in the Victorian state league, before switching to their South Australia
n counterparts for the 2000 season. Kydd, at 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) tall, established a reputation as an effective shooter, and despite often missing matches as a result of her national U-21 team was a key part of the team.
in May, followed by a successful stint with the team as part of the squad for the Youth World Cup in Wales. At season's end Kydd was named in the state open team for the national championships and, while remaining in the U-21 squad, was also named in the initial national open squad, despite having only played two national league games. However, the national squad was at the time enjoying an unusual glut of shooters, and she was cut amidst fierce competition from six other prominent players, all aiming at just three positions in the final team. Her disappointment was, however, partly offset when she won the Commonwealth Bank Trophy's Best New Talent award, worth A$
5,000, in February 2001.
Kydd graduated from high school at the end of 2000, and moved to Kensington
, an inner suburb of Melbourne
, in February 2001 to study tourism and hospitality at Victoria University
. At the beginning of the 2001 season, two of the Kestrels' main stars, Shelley O'Donnell
and Janine Ilitch
, both announced that they would be sidelined for most or all of the season because of pregnancy, and Kydd was called upon to fill the vacancy. She became a core player instantly, and although the Kestrels struggled, Kydd formed an effective combination with goal shooter Amanda Burton
(who she had previously played with in the interstate competition). Kydd was among the team's standout performers and was frequently praised in the media for both her accuracy and consistency, coming away at season's end with 390 goals and the fifth highest scoring average in the competition. She continued to represent Australia in under-21 competition, being selected for several home matches against England
and a tour of New Zealand
, and was again selected in the national open squad in the lead-up to the 2002 Commonwealth Games
, but was once again cut from the final team.
. She scored her 500th goal with the Kestrels in the middle of the season, and excelled against some particularly difficult opponents, including then-Australian captain Kathryn Harby-Williams
. She was integral in helping the Kestrels make the semifinals for the first time since 1999, and was the third-highest scorer in the league. Kydd was again named in the extended national squad at the end of the season, and finally survived the cut, being named in the squad to tour Jamaica in early 2003, beating rival shooters Jane Altschwager
and Megan Dehn
(née Anderson) for the vacancy caused by the retirement of veteran player Jacqui Delaney
.
not long afterwards, and managed to cement her position with a superb performance, managing an accuracy rate of 94% in the third Test. This performance, along with similar form in the national league, led to her selection in the starting squad for the 2003 Netball World Championships
. She played every game in the world championships in July at the expense of ageing veteran Eloise Southby
, a decision which was the cause of some controversy. She subsequently helped the Kestrels to the elimination final and, at the end of the season, was named as the team's new vice-captain
, with predecessor Janine Ilitch assuming the captaincy. She also won the coveted Commonwealth Bank Trophy Player's Player Award, and tied for third in the Most Valuable Player
count.
, Kydd improved over the space of the series and was awarded player of the match in the third Test. At the end of the tour, she was given some praise for being among Australia's best in what had been an otherwise disastrous series. She was rewarded for her form when she was a surprise choice for the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Trophy Most Valuable Player Award, being selected over favourite veteran internationals Catherine Cox
and Sharelle McMahon
. When captain Ilitch was ruled out for 2005 because of pregnancy, Kydd was the natural choice to replace her, and she was soon announced as the Kestrels' new leader.
, a member of the Australian men's netball team, whom she married in April 2006. Kydd was widely expected to again feature among the league's best, however, she was disappointing against South Africa in February. She also struggled in the opening games of the national league season, a result largely attributed to nerves associated with the captaincy. She began to recover her form, but in May broke her finger. She continued to play but the injury severely inhibited her performance for four weeks. In June she was dropped from the national team for the first time in two years as a result of poor form and injury, with national coach Norma Plummer
stating that she was "very disappointed that [Kydd had] let it drop" and that she "never thought she would have to [cut her from the team]". The ageing Southby-Halbish was brought in to replace her and Kydd admitted that her accuracy had been well below ideal levels. She improved markedly over the following two rounds, but on 23 July suffered major concussion after being hit hard in the head during a match against the Adelaide Thunderbirds
, which required her to be taken to hospital. A brilliant performance against the Perth Orioles the following week seemed to suggest a quick recovery, however she was dogged with complications for the remainder of the season.
In an attempt to regain her position in the national squad, Kydd attended the extended squad's first training camp in September 2005, but was one of several players forced out after succumbing to a virus. She was subsequently left out of the team for a practice tour of Jamaica and New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games
, but continued her efforts to make the team for the Games. Finally, on 10 December 2005, she voluntarily withdrew her name from selection, noting ongoing complications from the earlier concussion (team doctors stated that she had probably attempted to return too quickly) and low motivation.
only three weeks before the start of the season. The defection caused notable antagonism between the traditional rivals with Kydd's former coach, Jane Searle and several team-mates expressing shock at the suddenness of the switch.
After six years at the Kestrels, the defection saw Kydd forced to adapt to a new shooting combination with veteran international Sharelle McMahon
. As she had had little opportunity to train with the new team before the opening of the season, the pair initially had some difficulty adjusting to each others' style. After a tenuous start, however, the pair found form, and were able to form a relatively successful combination. Kydd scored 360 goals in the season, and assisted the Phoenix in becoming the top scoring side for the season, although occasionally patchy form from the team as a whole saw the Phoenix slip outside the top two at season's end. Kydd was overlooked for a return to international selection during the 2006–07 season.
In October 2006, Kydd announced that she was leaving the Phoenix after just one season, a move that stunned coach Julie Hoornweg. Kydd said that she was travelling overseas with her husband, leading to speculation she would play in New Zealand
. Hoornweg said that if she had known that Kydd would not keep her long term commitment, then she would have rather invested in young talent, referring to Kydd as a "player at risk". In November, New Zealand's Canterbury Flames
announced Kydd in their squad for the 2007 National Bank Cup
. Her contract was to start in February 2007, so that she could fulfil work commitments with Youth Hostels Association, Victoria. However, Kydd withdrew her services to the Flames without playing a match, citing medical advice, due to a concussion incident. In late 2007, Kydd was playing mixed netball in the United Kingdom
in the PIM Mixed A competition.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n professional netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
player. Kydd achieved some success in netball and swimming in her early life, and played in the Dairy Farmers State League at the age of 16. She was also selected for the national under-21 team in 1999 and was accepted by the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
, before launching her professional career.
Kydd was a goal shooter for the Melbourne Kestrels
Melbourne Kestrels
The Melbourne Kestrels were an Australian netball team. They were based out of the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, Victoria and were one of two teams from the city to compete in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy, alongside the Melbourne Phoenix. The Kestrels were coached by Jane...
in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy
Commonwealth Bank Trophy
The Commonwealth Bank Trophy was the pre-eminent national netball competition in Australia from 1997 to 2007.It was established in 1997 as a true national league to replace the ailing, state club-based Mobil League. Designed from the beginning to be more marketable to the general public, it saw...
from 2000 to 2006, serving as club captain for the last two years. An accurate and high-scoring shooter, she was one of the league's top players of that era, winning the competition's Most Valuable Player award for 2004. She was also a frequent member of the Australian national netball team from 2003 to 2005. Her career was hampered by injury and poor form in later years, and she struggled after being dropped from the national side in early 2005 and missing out on a return in time for the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
after sustaining a serious concussion late in the year.
Kydd made the surprise decision at the beginning of the 2006 season to transfer from the Kestrels, where she had been captain, to the club's more successful rival, the Melbourne Phoenix
Melbourne Phoenix
The Melbourne Phoenix were an Australian netball team. They were one of two teams representing the city of Melbourne, Victoria in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They have been replaced by the Melbourne Vixens in the ANZ Championship...
, but she lasted only one season before walking away from the club to travel overseas. She subsequently signed with New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
club Canterbury Flames
Canterbury Flames
The Canterbury Tactix are a New Zealand netball team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team was one of the founding franchises in the National Bank Cup, formerly the premier netball competition in New Zealand , during which the team...
for the 2007 National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
season, but withdrew her services before playing a game due to injury. She subsequently moved to England, where she currently plays mixed minor grade netball.
Early life
Kydd was born in the VictorianVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
regional town of Kyabram
Kyabram, Victoria
Kyabram is located in the centre of a rich irrigation district in the Goulburn River Valley, 200 kilometres north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Kyabram, the second largest town in the Shire of Campaspe. is situated between the towns of Echuca and Shepparton and is close to the Murray River...
, and began playing competitive netball at age nine. Though also a talented swimmer, she was forced to make a choice between the two sports, and ultimately chose netball. She played for local and Goulburn Valley
Goulburn Valley
The Goulburn Valley is a region of Victoria, Australia. The region consists of those areas in the catchment of the Goulburn River and other nearby streams, and is part of the Murray-Darling Basin. The Goulburn Valley is bordered on the south by the Great Dividing Range and to the north by the...
representative teams as a teenager and, in 1998 at the age of 16, was selected to play for the dominant Eastside Netball Club
Eastside Netball Club
Eastside Saints is a Melbourne-based netball club with several teams that compete in the Parkville Netball Competition located at the State Netball Hockey Centre...
in the state Dairy Farmers State League
Dairy Farmers State League (Victoria)
The Dairy Farmers State League is the state netball competition in Victoria, Australia. The three-division competition plays a vital role in the development of the sport in the state, with many of the top players from the Championship Division going on to play for either of the state's two teams in...
competition, alongside three national league players. Despite a regular three-hour commute and having to juggle sporting commitments with studies at Kyabram Secondary College
Kyabram Secondary College
Kyabram Secondary College was a small high school in the country town of Kyabram, Victoria, Australia. The school had 819 students attending from a 20 km radius around Kyabram.The school was built in 1956...
, she played an integral role in Eastside's premiership that year. She was subsequently named in the state under-21 squad for the annual Australian National Netball Championships
Australian National Netball Championships
The Australian National Netball Championships are an annual Australian interstate youth competition, pitting the best of the six states and two territories against each other. They were most known for the open category, which saw the very best of each state compete each year, and featured most of...
and in the Melbourne Kestrels
Melbourne Kestrels
The Melbourne Kestrels were an Australian netball team. They were based out of the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne, Victoria and were one of two teams from the city to compete in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy, alongside the Melbourne Phoenix. The Kestrels were coached by Jane...
squad for the 1999 season.
Despite never having played a national league game, Kydd was selected in the national under-21 (U-21) team in 1999, which, as a result of reforms made that year, automatically saw her admitted to the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
(AIS). She spent the 1999 season playing for the AIS team in the Victorian state league, before switching to their South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n counterparts for the 2000 season. Kydd, at 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) tall, established a reputation as an effective shooter, and despite often missing matches as a result of her national U-21 team was a key part of the team.
Commonwealth Bank Trophy debut
Kydd made her debut for the Melbourne Kestrels in April 2000 but, because of her relative inexperience, was asked to play only two games for them over the season. She earned selection in the U-21 national squad to tour JamaicaJamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
in May, followed by a successful stint with the team as part of the squad for the Youth World Cup in Wales. At season's end Kydd was named in the state open team for the national championships and, while remaining in the U-21 squad, was also named in the initial national open squad, despite having only played two national league games. However, the national squad was at the time enjoying an unusual glut of shooters, and she was cut amidst fierce competition from six other prominent players, all aiming at just three positions in the final team. Her disappointment was, however, partly offset when she won the Commonwealth Bank Trophy's Best New Talent award, worth A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
5,000, in February 2001.
Kydd graduated from high school at the end of 2000, and moved to Kensington
Kensington, Victoria
Kensington is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, an inner suburb of Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, in February 2001 to study tourism and hospitality at Victoria University
Victoria University, Australia
Victoria University is a multi-sector tertiary institution based in Melbourne, Australia with 10 campuses.VU offers qualifications in higher education, vocational education , and short courses...
. At the beginning of the 2001 season, two of the Kestrels' main stars, Shelley O'Donnell
Shelley O'Donnell
Shelley O'Donnell is an Australian netball player. A ten-year veteran of the Australian national team, she was also the inaugural captain of the Melbourne Kestrels in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy from 1997 to 2000...
and Janine Ilitch
Janine Ilitch
Janine Ilitch is an Australian netball player.She has been a frequent member of the Australian national team, playing in her usual positions of goal keeper and goal defence, since being first selected in 1995...
, both announced that they would be sidelined for most or all of the season because of pregnancy, and Kydd was called upon to fill the vacancy. She became a core player instantly, and although the Kestrels struggled, Kydd formed an effective combination with goal shooter Amanda Burton
Amanda Burton (netballer)
Amanda Burton is an Australian netball player.She was a key forward for the Melbourne Kestrels from 2000 to 2004, playing in the positions of goal attack and goal shooter, and often working in tandem with international Cynna Kydd...
(who she had previously played with in the interstate competition). Kydd was among the team's standout performers and was frequently praised in the media for both her accuracy and consistency, coming away at season's end with 390 goals and the fifth highest scoring average in the competition. She continued to represent Australia in under-21 competition, being selected for several home matches against England
England national netball team
The England national netball team represent England in international netball competition. The team are presently co-captained by Karen Atkinson and Sonia Mkoloma, and were coached by Australian Sue Hawkins through to the end of the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore...
and a tour of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and was again selected in the national open squad in the lead-up to the 2002 Commonwealth Games
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
, but was once again cut from the final team.
Furthering her career
Though she had missed out on Commonwealth Games selection, Kydd had established a reputation as a particularly difficult opponent by the beginning of the 2002 Commonwealth Bank Trophy season. She was consistently among the league's top goalers, particularly after she was again paired with Burton, due to the axing of struggling new recruit Kristy DoyleKristy Doyle
Kristy Doyle is an Australian netball player.She showed early promise as a shooter for the New South Wales state team in 1998, making the Australian 21 and under squad in the same year as a 17 year old...
. She scored her 500th goal with the Kestrels in the middle of the season, and excelled against some particularly difficult opponents, including then-Australian captain Kathryn Harby-Williams
Kathryn Harby-Williams
Kathryn Harby-Williams is an Australian netball player and television presenter.She currently works with Radio Sport New Zealand and is a Sky TV commentator for Sky Sport 1's live netball coverage of the ANZ Championship and international tests, along with former Silver Ferns Tania Dalton and Anna...
. She was integral in helping the Kestrels make the semifinals for the first time since 1999, and was the third-highest scorer in the league. Kydd was again named in the extended national squad at the end of the season, and finally survived the cut, being named in the squad to tour Jamaica in early 2003, beating rival shooters Jane Altschwager
Jane Altschwager
Jane Altschwager is an Australian netballer. Altschwager started her netball career in 1994 playing for New South Wales, in the Australian State Netball League, somehow, despite being a 14 year old in South Australia. In 1997 she signed with the Sydney Swifts in the inaugural Commonwealth Bank...
and Megan Dehn
Megan Dehn
Megan Dehn is an Australian international netballer from Woy Woy, New South Wales. A former Australian representative player, she currently plays in the ANZ Championship for New Zealand–based team the Northern Mystics....
(née Anderson) for the vacancy caused by the retirement of veteran player Jacqui Delaney
Jacqui Delaney
Jacqui Delaney is an Australian netball player and coach.A veteran international goal attack and wing attack and two-time Commonwealth Bank Trophy MVP, she represented the Australian national netball team between 1997 and 2002, retiring after winning the gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games...
.
International selection
At only 21 Kydd was the youngest player on the tour of Jamaica and, while she toured with the remainder of the team, was overlooked for a Test position. She finally made her full début against South AfricaSouth Africa national netball team
The South Africa national netball team, nicknamed the "Proteas", are the national netball team of South Africa. The Proteas are coached by former representative player Elize Kotze. The team are governed by Netball South Africa and sponsored by...
not long afterwards, and managed to cement her position with a superb performance, managing an accuracy rate of 94% in the third Test. This performance, along with similar form in the national league, led to her selection in the starting squad for the 2003 Netball World Championships
2003 Netball World Championships
The 2003 World Netball Championships were held in Kingston, Jamaica between 10 July and 20 July. It was the eleventh World Netball Championships. After 100 matches, the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns, won the tournament, defeating Australia to win the World Championship for the first...
. She played every game in the world championships in July at the expense of ageing veteran Eloise Southby
Eloise Southby-Halbish
Eloise Southby-Halbish is a sports commentator and former Australian netball player. She was co-captain of the Melbourne Phoenix with fellow goaler, Sharelle McMahon.-Netball career:...
, a decision which was the cause of some controversy. She subsequently helped the Kestrels to the elimination final and, at the end of the season, was named as the team's new vice-captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
, with predecessor Janine Ilitch assuming the captaincy. She also won the coveted Commonwealth Bank Trophy Player's Player Award, and tied for third in the Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
count.
Career peak
With the experience gained from several seasons in the national league, Kydd reached her peak in 2004. She was rarely troubled in the national league all year, scoring 436 goals at an average accuracy of 79%; statistics among the best in the league. Although Burton had retired, creating a supporting void that the Kestrels struggled to fill, she again played a vital role in the team reaching the finals series. She also established her place as a regular member of the national team, playing in Test series against South Africa and New Zealand and a practice match against England. Though she struggled initially against the Silver FernsSilver Ferns
The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent New Zealand in international netball. The team take their nickname from the Silver Tree Fern , which is an iconic emblem for many New Zealand sports teams. The Silver Ferns were formed in 1938 as a representative...
, Kydd improved over the space of the series and was awarded player of the match in the third Test. At the end of the tour, she was given some praise for being among Australia's best in what had been an otherwise disastrous series. She was rewarded for her form when she was a surprise choice for the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Trophy Most Valuable Player Award, being selected over favourite veteran internationals Catherine Cox
Catherine Cox
Catherine Cox is an Australian netball player. Cox has played regularly for the Australian national team since her first appearance in 1997 and is a member of the ANZ Championship team West Coast Fever....
and Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle Jane McMahon is an Australian netball player and former captain of the Australian national netball team...
. When captain Ilitch was ruled out for 2005 because of pregnancy, Kydd was the natural choice to replace her, and she was soon announced as the Kestrels' new leader.
Form slump and injuries
Kydd graduated from university at the end of 2004, but had significant difficulty finding employment as her netball commitments scared off prospective employers. She also became engaged to Garth KyddGarth Kydd
Garth Kydd is an Australian netball player. A centre-court player, he has represented Australia at an international level and Victoria at the Australian national championships...
, a member of the Australian men's netball team, whom she married in April 2006. Kydd was widely expected to again feature among the league's best, however, she was disappointing against South Africa in February. She also struggled in the opening games of the national league season, a result largely attributed to nerves associated with the captaincy. She began to recover her form, but in May broke her finger. She continued to play but the injury severely inhibited her performance for four weeks. In June she was dropped from the national team for the first time in two years as a result of poor form and injury, with national coach Norma Plummer
Norma Plummer
Norma Plummer is an Australian netball coach and former player. She was coach of the Australian national netball team from 2003 to 2011, ending her coaching career with the Diamonds on 67 victories from 89 Tests – a success rate of 75 per cent...
stating that she was "very disappointed that [Kydd had] let it drop" and that she "never thought she would have to [cut her from the team]". The ageing Southby-Halbish was brought in to replace her and Kydd admitted that her accuracy had been well below ideal levels. She improved markedly over the following two rounds, but on 23 July suffered major concussion after being hit hard in the head during a match against the Adelaide Thunderbirds
Adelaide Thunderbirds
The Adelaide Thunderbirds are an Australian netball team based in Adelaide that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The Thunderbirds were formed as one of the foundation teams of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy , previously the premier netball league in Australia, which was...
, which required her to be taken to hospital. A brilliant performance against the Perth Orioles the following week seemed to suggest a quick recovery, however she was dogged with complications for the remainder of the season.
In an attempt to regain her position in the national squad, Kydd attended the extended squad's first training camp in September 2005, but was one of several players forced out after succumbing to a virus. She was subsequently left out of the team for a practice tour of Jamaica and New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games
2006 Commonwealth Games
The 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
, but continued her efforts to make the team for the Games. Finally, on 10 December 2005, she voluntarily withdrew her name from selection, noting ongoing complications from the earlier concussion (team doctors stated that she had probably attempted to return too quickly) and low motivation.
Defection to the Melbourne Phoenix
After withdrawing from the Commonwealth Games squad, Kydd took a four-month hiatus from the sport in order to recover from injury and regain motivation. She married fiancée Garth in April 2006, and though widely known by her maiden name, decided to take on her husband's surname. Kydd began the process of re-signing with the Kestrels for the 2006 season, and returned to training with the club with March 2006, but stunned the team when she defected to more successful rival Melbourne PhoenixMelbourne Phoenix
The Melbourne Phoenix were an Australian netball team. They were one of two teams representing the city of Melbourne, Victoria in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy. They have been replaced by the Melbourne Vixens in the ANZ Championship...
only three weeks before the start of the season. The defection caused notable antagonism between the traditional rivals with Kydd's former coach, Jane Searle and several team-mates expressing shock at the suddenness of the switch.
After six years at the Kestrels, the defection saw Kydd forced to adapt to a new shooting combination with veteran international Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle McMahon
Sharelle Jane McMahon is an Australian netball player and former captain of the Australian national netball team...
. As she had had little opportunity to train with the new team before the opening of the season, the pair initially had some difficulty adjusting to each others' style. After a tenuous start, however, the pair found form, and were able to form a relatively successful combination. Kydd scored 360 goals in the season, and assisted the Phoenix in becoming the top scoring side for the season, although occasionally patchy form from the team as a whole saw the Phoenix slip outside the top two at season's end. Kydd was overlooked for a return to international selection during the 2006–07 season.
In October 2006, Kydd announced that she was leaving the Phoenix after just one season, a move that stunned coach Julie Hoornweg. Kydd said that she was travelling overseas with her husband, leading to speculation she would play in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Hoornweg said that if she had known that Kydd would not keep her long term commitment, then she would have rather invested in young talent, referring to Kydd as a "player at risk". In November, New Zealand's Canterbury Flames
Canterbury Flames
The Canterbury Tactix are a New Zealand netball team based in Christchurch, New Zealand that currently compete in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. The team was one of the founding franchises in the National Bank Cup, formerly the premier netball competition in New Zealand , during which the team...
announced Kydd in their squad for the 2007 National Bank Cup
National Bank Cup
The National Bank Cup was the pre-eminent national netball competition in New Zealand between 1998 and 2007. From 2008, it was replaced by the ANZ Championship.-Format:...
. Her contract was to start in February 2007, so that she could fulfil work commitments with Youth Hostels Association, Victoria. However, Kydd withdrew her services to the Flames without playing a match, citing medical advice, due to a concussion incident. In late 2007, Kydd was playing mixed netball in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the PIM Mixed A competition.