When Cara Koenen stepped out on court against Zimbabwe earlier this week, it was the first time her parents, Teri and Rob, had ever seen her play for Australia. Covid stopped them travelling to her New Zealand matches, and due to work commitments they couldn’t make the trek to Birmingham last year.
It was a tough tournament to miss: going into the Commonwealth Games with just seven caps to her name, their daughter starred when introduced in the second quarter against Jamaica. Trailing on the scoreboard, the Diamonds edged ahead as the movement of Koenen and Gretel Bueta proved difficult to contain, and eventually took out the match by four goals.
Teri said, “When the tournament had finished and they’d won the gold, we were having a family chat – Cara, her sisters and brother and we were all talking to her.
“I said, ‘So, how many parents made it over there,’ and she said, ‘All of them, mum!’
“We did feel a bit guilty.
“So Rob and I said, ‘That’s it. We’re going to put our business on the market and if it sells, hopefully we will be able to get over here to Cape Town if she was selected. We didn’t want to miss out again.”
Gold medallist Cara Koenen, with her parents Rob and Teri. Image Jenny Sinclair
The Koenen’s did part company with their newsagency, and headed to the World Cup with other Diamonds’ family members. They travel as a tightly knit group, supporting each other, sharing a chat group, social functions and sight seeing when time allows. And while other parents temporarily adopted Koenen during last year’s event, this year Teri and Rob have enjoyed being part of the buzz.
“We are super excited, and it’s been amazing,” said Rob. “Everyone has been very welcoming and clued us in. Making a big effort to get around each other – not all the players are on court at the same time, but all the parents are supportive of everyone.”
Netball Australia also threw their weight behind the travelling families, including them in Zoom briefings, particularly those around health and safety requirements for South Africa.
Still based on Magnetic Island, Rob and Teri were for many years a taxi service for their four young children. Teri explained, “We did two loops a day trying to make ferries across to Townsville. We’d go over, drop them at school, then later pick them up, drop them off at training, do another loop to pick them up from their various sports and get back on the ferry. It kept us on our toes.” Luckily for the family, Teri’s mum lived in Townsville, so if they missed a ferry they still had somewhere to stay for the night.
Matters didn’t get any easier when their children started to leave the nest. All four were elite athletes across a range of sports including men’s and women’s AFL, surf life saving and netball. For Cara, it meant a move to Brisbane, almost 1500 kilometres south, as soon as she left high school.
Rob said, “She was only 17, so young, and had never lived out of home before so it was hard. Her initial university accommodation wasn’t ideal but we managed to shift her to a better environment. She also had a good network of friends down there that she’d made through netball and they looked after her.
“It was emotionally hard though, and we were so far away we couldn’t just jump in the car and go and see her. We had some accommodation down there, but catching flights wasn’t ideal.”
Cara Koenen pulls a ball in under substantial pressure. Image: May Bailey | Netball Scoop
Elite sport is a rollercoaster for most athletes, and Koenen wasn’t immune from it. Picked up for the inaugural Sunshine Coast Lightning team, coach Dame Noeline Taurua was a phenomenal mentor, although Koenen had to endure a long period of bench warming behind Caitlin Bassett, plus serious ankle surgery. While it was difficult, she remained self-motivated.
Mum Teri said, “It was always her drive and determination. We always said when she was going through school, that as long as her grades were good we would get her anywhere or do anything we could to support her.
“It was her dream, driven by her.
“In the early days I said to her, ‘You are doing the hard work, it will come. You’ve got to do your apprenticeship.’ Noeline was amazing, she couldn’t have had a better coach, and for her to learn from CBass in that environment was brilliant.”
Steph Wood also proved to be a mentor and friend. Rob explained, “Steph really took her under her wing and taught her a lot. A few times when she got an opportunity in the earlier years, Steph said, ‘Don’t worry about going out on court. Just do what you do.
“’ This is what you’ve trained for, don’t overthink it, and believe in the process.’”
Rob and Teri joke that they don’t know where their children’s sporting genes have come from, but they are in little doubt of why Koenen’s been successful. “Like all of the players here, she is doing the hard work. None of them can rely on just talent. It’s hard to see that work and sacrifice from the outside, and while I know they are lonely at times as they don’t have proper social lives, overall they love what they do and wouldn’t change it.”
Whether Rob and Teri are watching their daughter from TV or now in person in Cape Town, they find it a nerve-wracking experience. They admit to sweaty palms and racing hearts, as they watch games unfold.
But most of all they are proud of their daughter – the little country girl from Maggie, who had a big dream, worked hard, and has just won gold with the Diamonds.
Cara Koenen has been with Lightning from the start. Image: Hannah Howard/On the Ball Media
Cara Koenen and Donnell Wallam. All smiles. Image May Bailey l Clusterpix
Rob and Teri watched on as Cara won a gold medal with Australia. Image Danny Dalton.
