Full Circle Moment as Dreams Become a Reality for Academy Young Gun

A full circle moment with one of her idols and the ‘experience of her life’ has further fuelled GIANTS Academy young gun Olivia Harris’ mission to make it to the elite level. 

An up-and-coming shooter, Harris is fresh off a whirlwind weekend where an unexpected invite from Julie Fitzgerald saw her take the court for the GIANTS as part of their pre-season Riverina Road to Griffith and Wagga Wagga. 

Starting her career with the Penrith District Netball Association, Harris is entering her third season with the GIANTS Academy and represented New South Wales at both the National Underage Championships and the Australian Netball Championships last year.  

Harris’ hard work presented her the opportunity to join many of her idols on court for the very first time as the GIANTS took on the Vixens last weekend.  

“Easily the most amazing experience of my life,” Harris said when reflecting on her time with the GIANTS in Griffith and Wagga Wagga.  

“I wasn’t really expecting it when Julie gave me the call and said we need you to come down and fill in. 

“I knew I wasn’t going to get heaps of court time or if any at that, but I got like eight minutes in wing attack, so it was very, very exciting. 

“I just love being in the team environment and the off-court stuff—seeing how professional it is and how high-level the game plan is.” 

Harris said her first taste at the elite level only further fuelled her desire to make it to the Super Netball level one day. 

“I was straight in the deep end, which I absolutely loved,” she said.  

“I trained with them [GIANTS’ SSN side] two weeks before, which was very exciting, and I was exposed to the new level and the new intensity. It makes you realise ‘Oh, that’s where I want to be,’ and I can lift to this level for sure.” 

Despite playing traditionally as a goal attack, Harris was played as a wing attack by Fitzgerald, with the youngster given some nice feedback from the hall of fame coach.   

“She was positive,” Harris said on the feedback from Fitzgerald. 

“You took on the drives, yeah, your passes needed a little bit more, but that pass you did to Matisse was a dime, and you should be very happy with that.  

“You’ve got a taste now for what the level is, and we’d love you to take from that and learn from it.” 

For Harris, the opportunity to train and play with some of the best players in the game, including Jamie-Lee Price, Sophie Dwyer, and of course, Jo Harten, has been a dream. 

“Training with people like Jamie-Lee, Sophie, Jo—it’s incredible,” she said.  

 “The GIANTS are amazing, they’re the best, and just being a part of that is such a huge honour.” 

Putting a bow on what was already a dream experience for the GIANTS Academy youngster, Harris’ captured a full circle moment on film with the help of one of her idols – and teammate for a weekend – Jo Harten, who helped Harris recreate a photo of the two of them from 2019 when Harris was in awe of the GIANTS superstar at a netball clinic.  

“I remember taking the photo with her at a clinic in Penrith and I was a 13-year-old just super keen to be there and grow my netball skills, and Jo Harten was there, so of course, I had to get a photo,” Harris recalled.  

“Then the opportunity came to train with her, and it was such a surreal, once-in-a-lifetime moment. Mum was so keen [for me to recreate the photo]—she was like, ‘Get this photo.’ So, I was like, ‘Jo, please.’” 

That photo from 2019 now has a new meaning, with Harris looking back at it as a reminder of just how far she has come.  

 “I’m so happy it’s a then and now. For the young girls now, it’s a ‘where you start vs. where you can go.’  Seeing Jo in all her glory—England captain, England honours, one of the original GIANTS—it’s so inspiring to see how far you can go. It’s pretty exciting.”