Being active and eating well isn’t just about performance - it’s about feeling good, staying strong, and building healthy habits for life.
For these Bendigo Strikers athletes, staying active and fuelling their bodies with nourishing foods has become second nature, influencing their performance beyond the court.
From the friendships built through netball to the routines that keep them energised and balanced, they share the simple yet powerful habits that make all the difference.
Their experiences show that prioritising health isn’t about rigid rules - it’s about finding what works for you and embracing it.
Chelsea Sartori - Champs Captain
What do you love most about playing netball?
I love the friendships you form. It's so special to share the same bond and love for something with other people. Netball connects you for life with your team mates and teaches you the importance of what working hard can achieve.
What are your go-to nutrition habits that keep you performing at your best?
Important to eat lots of wholefoods and foods that make you perform at your best. I stick to the same foods every week as I know it works for me. I love eating bananas, eggs on toast or baked oats pre-game and a high protein meal post-game/trainings. It is crucial to drink lots of water every day, so you are hydrated enough.
What is your best tip for post-game recovery?
Post-game chocolate milks and using my recovery boots.
Outside netball, what’s your favourite way to keep active?
I love going to the gym, doing Pilates classes and going for walks with my dog Sunny.
What’s one habit or mindset shift that has made the biggest impact on your wellbeing?
Appreciating what you have in life and not allowing failure to turn into defeat.
Zoe Davies – Champs Vice Captain
What do you love most about playing netball?
I love being a part of a group who just wants to play some netball, work hard and have fun doing it. Netball is an ongoing puzzle that as a team you must dig deep and sort through all the different ways to beat your opponents before they do.
What are your go-to nutrition habits that keep you performing at your best?
Before: Hydralyte, a peanut butter sandwich and a banana, ensuring I've got enough carbs, sugars, and vitamins to ensure my body is ready to go
After: protein, creatine, glutamine, and collagen in a shake, have been the most influential go to nutrition habits after gym and netball games to replenish and aid a quick recovery to my muscles and joints.
What is your best tip for post-game recovery?
Protein / food within the first 20 minutes after the game, alongside water. Super important to not let a depleted body suffer. You'll tend to pull up sorer and hungry the next day.
Outside netball, what’s your favourite way to keep active?
I love taking my dogs out for a run with me whether that's in the bush or at an oval. Keeps me active and is so rewarding watching them burn some energy too.
What’s one habit or mindset shift that has made the biggest impact on your wellbeing?
As a defender I could never see the positives in a game, I would talk to my family about the 2 balls I threw away or the rebound I missed or how I didn't get enough intercepts for the team. Then I started to re-watch my games and would look back at them and work out what I could do next time. After a year or so of doing this, I didn't need to keep watching the games back to work out how to fix my errors, I just needed to prep better. Meaning I would analyse the goalers I was playing on. This meant I had a plan for the style of defence I needed to play, and now to this day my mindset is: beat me once good job, beat me twice then that's on me, beat me three times that won't happen again. Sport is a big puzzle and it's up to you to keep finding small ways to solve it, to be the best out there for your team!
Shae Clifford – 23 & U Captain
What do you love most about playing netball?
The thing I love most about playing netball is the friendships that you make by being involved in a team sport.
What are your go-to nutrition habits that keep you performing at your best?
My go-to nutrition habits would be to fuel my body with foods that will keep me full and sustained for a long period of time, such as fruit, vegetables, protein and carbs. The night before a game I always try to have pasta as a good source of energy for the game.
What is your best tip for post-game recovery?
My best tip for post-game recovery would be to drink lots of water and eat plenty of food to re-fuel your body. I also like doing active recovery such as going for a walk to keep my body moving.
Outside netball, what’s your favourite way to keep active?
Outside of netball my favourite way to keep active, is by going to the gym or going running. I also like doing lower impact activities such as Pilates or going for a walk.
What’s one habit or mindset shift that has made the biggest impact on your wellbeing?
For myself staying active and having a healthy lifestyle helps with my health and wellbeing, it not only makes me physically feel better it also helps mentally and can help reduce other stressors in your life.
Elsie Boyer – 23 & U Vice Captain
What do you love most about playing netball?
I love hanging out with friends, making new ones, and working together toward a common goal - winning! It's all about the teamwork, the shared effort, and of course, having heaps of fun along the way.
What are your go-to nutrition habits that keep you performing at your best?
A big, fuelling breakfast is a must for me! My go-to is scrambled eggs and avocado on sourdough, topped with a bit of chilli oil. I also make sure to have high-protein and carb meals throughout the day, to keep me feeling full and energised for games.
What is your best tip for post-game recovery?
A choccy milk straight after the game, some good snacks, and a solid night's sleep—that’s my winning combo for recovery.
Outside netball, what’s your favourite way to keep active?
I love going on long runs with friends - it’s the perfect mix of exercise, coffee afterwards, and plenty of chatting!
What’s one habit or mindset shift that has made the biggest impact on your wellbeing?
Shifting my focus to exercising for how it makes me feel, not how I look, has been a game-changer. I always feel my best after moving my body, especially outdoors, so I try to start or end each day with some kind of movement.
Sport is more than competition - it’s about connection, teamwork, and shared experiences.
These athletes show that staying active and eating well supports not just physical and mental health, but also a strong sense of belonging and connectedness.
Whether it’s a walk with a friend or a balanced meal, small choices add up. Their hints and tips are a great reminder that looking after our health and wellbeing is about consistency, balance, and enjoying the process.