'Means so much to me': re-signed coach "can't wait" to get back to work with the Lightning

Lightning coach Kylee Byrne says there is “so much upside” for the team, after signing for another two years.

Byrne steered the team to this year’s Super Netball finals, before they bowed out to West Coast Fever.

Her contact extension was announced as part of Lightning’s fifth birthday celebrations.

The club has featured in finals every season, including premierships in 2017 and 2018.

Byrne has been with the Lightning since its inception, as assistant coach to Noeline Taurua from 2017 to 2019, before being promoted for 2020 and 2021.

She eagerly anticipated campaigns with the team in 2022 and 2023.

“I have an incredible amount of faith in what this team is capable of and there is so much upside that we are yet to see from this core group,” Byrne said in a club press release.

“I am honoured to be the head coach for at least another two seasons at Lightning and can’t wait to explore ways in which we can innovate and improve again next year to be even better.”

Byrne has been involved in coaching for more than 15 years across a range of pathways with Queensland Firebirds, Netball Queensland, Australian Institute of Sport and Netball Australia. She is the current coach of the Australian under-21 side.

Lightning CEO Danielle Smith was thrilled to secure the services of Byrne for another two seasons.

“Lightning is in great hands under an excellent technical coach,” she said.

“What makes her a great coach is the combination of her sharp analytical mind as well as her people-first mentality and holistic approach.

“Kylee was a key part of not only establishing the club and its culture but also in continuing to drive standards and accountability across the group.

“What continues to impress me about Kylee is her dedication to personal and professional development and her innate ability to connect with our people in and around the club – be they a player, colleague, sponsor or one of our beloved members.”

While the Lightning are no longer in the hunt for this year’s title after the 75-67 loss to Fever, Smith lauded the club for its achievements in recent years.

They have finished first, first, second, third and fourth in their first five years.

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“Every day this club and it’s people fill me with pride and I feel privileged to play my role at Lightning and to contribute to its culture and ongoing success,” she said.

 “Lightning were up against time and resource constraints when we first joined the Super Netball competition, so to see the evolution and prosperity of this club now is incredible.

“While the athletes, coaches and staff are the engine room of this great club, part of what makes it so incredible is the true commitment of the wider Lightning family – which includes our members, partners, fans and the Sunshine Coast community.

“What we have achieved as a united group has made a tangible impact on both the region and on the sport and I am confident that will only continue to ring true in future.”

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Byrne said the Lightning were unique.

“This club and the people involved mean so much to me and it really is a special environment to be a part of – especially having been at Lightning from the very beginning,” Byrne said.

“The premierships and finals campaigns are an obvious highlight and something I will always cherish but there is so much more to this club than just netball and I truly believe that underpins why we have been so successful over the years.

“From the very start we have been a community club and it’s been an honour to watch the Sunshine Coast embrace us immediately and to then watch their passion and loyalty grow – even during the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic.”