Australian Netball Diamond Kim Ravaillion on Meeting the Demands of the Changing Game

This article is presented in partnership with NIKEiD. In this series we explore the ways in which athletes have customised their performance to achieve greatness.

Twenty-two-year-old Kim Ravaillion plays centre, wing attack, and wing defence for the champion Queensland Firebirds. She's also a member of the world champion national team, the Australian Diamonds, and is the first Australian player to make her international debut before playing in a domestic championship match.

Ravaillion's strong performances have seen her become one of the most exciting players in her sport—but this hasn't come without the constant refinement of her skills, building her strength, and adapting to the increasingly intense demands of the game.

VICE Sports sat down with Ravaillion during a mid-week training session to talk about anticipation, performance, and not being afraid.

VICE Sports: Hi Kim, who have you modelled your game on?
Kim Ravaillion: Nowadays I look to Laura Langman of the NZ Silver Ferns. She's been around for some time and has continued to be a strong player that adapts to any game or opponent. I love that about her. She's so fit and strong; a freak of an athlete. I've taken a lot from her in my training because I've got to go up against her. That's how I want to be; I want to be as strong as her, if not stronger than her. She's someone I really look up to.

Has your playing style changed over the years, and what has driven that?
I'd say it has changed. The game is getting a lot more intense and physical. I've had to become stronger and to keep that strength up, as well as adapting to newer elements of the game and more challenging opponents. Netball-wise, I've definitely worked on my fitness and power, and working out how to get away from opponents by using those attributes. Our team is currently the championship team so we have to maintain that level of skill by keeping up hard work. No days off! It's so important to look at what we've been doing over time to be able to refine and analyse parts of our game to improve on.

Are there any aspects of training that have really been highlighted since you started playing for the Australian National team?
Skills and technique are so important. You have to practice the skills constantly. Learning to anticipate what moves your opponents are about to make and becoming better at how you read the ball will help you win games for your team. You have one week off and your shoulder pass is going awol, I can tell you that much—so always practicing skills and reactions. Fitness is also very important. You have to keep that up. People can say netball looks easy, but I'd like to see them try to play a full 60-minute game! It's a well-rounded combination of fitness, strength, skills, and not being afraid. They all come into it and you have to work on all of these things to adapt and refine your game to ultimately become a better player.

What types of things do you do to fine-tune your ability and athleticism inside and outside of training?
A lot of people hate pre-season but I have to say I love it! That's where you really find your resilience and I think that's where you push yourself the hardest. All that training comes into the competition where you think back to that time where it was so hard. You're in a moment in the game where you're like, "Oh my god, it's so hard!" Then you think back to that moment in pre-season training and know that you can push through and do it. It's also about eating right, but I think the most important thing is listening to your body—you're the only one who knows it, and understands what is going on and how you truly feel. If you feel like you can push yourself even harder, do it. If you don't, then you need to have a break.

Is there anything you do before a game to optimise your performance?
I'm actually quite boring. I like to be really cool, calm, and collected. I don't like to work myself up; I just think of the game as a high school game to take pressure off myself. I'll always spot my family in the crowd if they come and as soon as I do that I instantly feel relaxed. I listen to music and dance a bit to get into a good vibe. Stretching and loosening up is also key.

What about the mental side of things—do you enter each game with certain objectives?
I'll always go into a game with three certain things, three key points, that I've set for myself depending on my opponent. If I tick those things off then I'll know I've done my job. It could be blocking them up, making sure they get limited feeds, or stopping the opposition passing the ball into the circle. It's about always being an option whether I am in defence or attack. I don't really look at the results.

So it's more about those key parts of the game, and that's what you love about it and why you're there?
Yes, because I can control them. My strength and conditioning coach can't control them, my coach can't control them. They can facilitate them, but only I can control them at the end of the day.

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