Sharni Layton

1. Sharni Layton Australian Netball Diamonds team player Adelaide Thunderbirds Netball Team Co-Captain “Sharni Layton is the future of the game. She is everything a player in the ANZ Championship competition should be.” Champion Data, Thursday, 17 March 2011

2. Sharni Layton - The Facts • DOB 6/1/88 • Height 187cm (6”1) • Positions GD/GK/WD • Current Teams: Adelaide Thunderbirds (Co-Captain); Australian Netball Diamonds • ANZ Championship Debut: Melbourne Vixens, 2008 • International Debut: World Netball Championships, Singapore, 2010 • Attributes: Enthusiastic, vocal and aggressive

3. Sharni Layton – The Bio With a career history that includes a Trans-Tasman Netball League Premiership and being named the Mars Red Best Young Player in 2010, a gold medal at the World Netball Championships in Singapore, 2011 and now a co-captaincy of The Adelaide Thunderbirds for 2012, at 23 Sharni already has more accolades than most. Beginning her career with the Melbourne Kestrals in 2004, Sharni represented the AIS in 2007 and 2009, with a stint with the Melbourne Vixens in 2008. During this three year period she represented Australia as a defender in the Australian 21 & under side and was also Vice Captain of the World Youth Cup Team in 2009, where she had her first taste of international success and brought home a gold medal. Her real break came though, when the Thunderbirds called in 2010. She was lured to South Australia as a specialist circle defender, but eventually cemented her starting spot at Wing Defence. It was her tenacity and never-say-die attitude, as well as an inspirational performance in the 2010 Trans-Tasman Grand Final, that caught the attention of the Australian selectors, and Sharni was invited into the Senior Australian Squad that same year. In 2011 Sharni continued her on-court success, not only by being named the Vice Captain of the Adelaide Thunderbirds, but by also being named in the Australian Team to play in the 2011 World Championships in Singapore. While intense on the court, Sharni has an incredibly easy-going, affable nature and is a real crowd favourite wherever she goes. Sharni enters the 2012 season fitter and stronger than she has ever been before.

4. Sharni Layton – The 2012 Captain

5. Sharni Layton - The Press Erin Bell, Nat von Bertouch, Jane Woodlands-Thompson, Sharni Layton, Renae Hallinan are the Thunderbirds Leadership group this year. Picture: Brooke Whatnall T-Birds return to group leadership Warren PartlandThe Advertiser February 17, 2012 11:00pm THE Adelaide Thunderbirds have adopted a similar leadership scheme to that used in their march to ANZ Championship glory in 2010. Layton's rise has been phenomenal since joining the Thunderbirds. After helping them to the 2010 crown in her first year with the franchise, Layton earned Diamonds selection and was a member of the world championship-winning side in Singapore in July. "I'm still shocked," Layton said. "It is an honour to be voted in by my team-mates and staff." Read more: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/netball/t-birds-return-to-group-leadership/story-e6frecvl-1226274213348

6. SharniLayton - The Press The Sharni Army Linda Pearce, June 26, 2011 If you cannot see Sharni Layton on court for Australia at the world championships, you'll hear her from the bench. Sharni Layton had to be told - in the nicest possible way - by her teammates before the Australian Diamonds left for next week's world championships not to yell for the ball. At least not all the time. ''We had to … say to her 'No, you can't keep calling for the ball - give me the ball, give me the ball'. We all play a role in this!'' laughed coach Norma Plummer when talking about her rather loud 187-centimetre rookie defender. ''Which is just fun, she's so enthusiastic, and the way she trialled was outstanding, and that's why she got into the team - even all the players had to say how good she was. ''You need players like that who are not serious all the time, that can crack up a party. She's a great kid who just wants to learn and the other players love what she brings to the team dynamic.'' Layton, with Queensland Firebirds bolter Chelsea Pitman and Adelaide Thunderbird surprise Erin Bell, is one of three newcomers to a recut Diamond dozen that will defend their title in Singapore from Monday week. Each has moved elsewhere in search of on-court opportunity, and all have been rewarded Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-sharni-army-20110625-1gknd.html#ixzz1n56zf0n9 Roar talent ... she may be new to the Diamonds, but Sharni Layton isn't afraid to give her teammates an earbashing on the court. Photo: Getty Images

7. Sharni Layton - The Press Layton Wins Mars Red 2010 Best Young Player Award Staff Writers, Friday, 9 July 2010. 22 year old Sharni Layton of the Adelaide Thunderbirds was today announced as the winner of the ANZ Championship’s inaugural MARS Red Best Young Player Award. An ecstatic Layton was presented with a giant cheque for $5,000 at ETSA Park, home of the Thunderbirds, in a surprise announcement for the tall Thunderbirds defender. Layton arrived at ETSA Park expecting to be interviewed as a preview to Sunday’s ANZ Championship Grand Final.  Her mother was in on the secret, and stood by proudly as Sharni was named winner of the new award, designed to recognise the most outstanding emerging talent from the world’s premier netball league. After being short-listed along with four other rising young stars of the competition, Layton was unanimously voted as the Best Young Player by the judging panel, which comprised national selectors and former players from both sides of the Tasman. “Awesome!  Thank you so much…my very own giant cheque, I feel like Happy Gilmore!” she exclaimed when presented with the Award.  Read more: http://www.anz-championship.com/news/a/layton-wins-2010-mars-red-best-young-player-award/521 Sharni Layton with the 2010 Adelaide Thunderbirds. Picture courtesy of ANZ Championship website

8. Sharni Layton - The Press In the Spotlight: Sharni Layton Champion Data, Thursday, 17 March 2011. In Round 1 last season, a young AIS-developed defender made her ANZ Championship on-court debut. Now, only 19 ANZ Championship games later (13 in 2010 and 6 in 2011), she is a Premiership player, current holder of the Best Young Player Award and an established senior member of the Adelaide Thunderbirds. Sharni Layton has taken all before her in a remarkably short period of time. Her enthusiastic, vocal and aggressive style of play has her destined for a long and fruitful ANZ Championship career, along with a potentially illustrious career on the International stage. To put it simply, Layton's core strength is getting the ball from the opposition. Her ability to intercept or deflect the ball is quickly placing her as one of the best in the league. She is currently ranked No.1 in the competition for intercepts, already amassing 18 in just 6 matches, equating to an astonishing average of three per game. Last year Layton finished the season with 26 intercepts at an average of two per game. ... Sharni Layton is the future of the game. With that in mind, we can all be assured that the future of netball is in safe hands. She is everything a player in the ANZ Championship competition should be, especially the young, up and coming players of the game, which Layton was less than 12 months ago. Layton's statistics generally speak for themselves and if her improvement continues on the current rate is has in the 12 months, she has the potential to be one of the greatest to play in the ANZ Championship. Read more at http://www.anz-championship.com/news/a/in-the-spotlight:-sharni-layton/633 Sharni Layton in action at Netball SA Stadium. Picture courtesy of ANZ Championship website

9. Sharni Layton - Off Court • Confident spokesperson • Exemplary ambassador • Avid social media guru • Affable, great sense of humour, extremely approachable • Hallmark mentor and leader • Patient, sincere and generous • Loves animals

10. Sharni Layton - The Contact • Damian Triffitt, Managing Director • Six Sides Management Group • Suite 808, 147 Pirie Street • Adelaide SA 5000 • +61 (0) 410 512 575 • damian@ssmg.com.au • www.ssmg.com.au