Born Perth WA
21 April 1955
While still at school, Jill McIntosh won butterfly and medley medals at the Australian Swimming Championships and was selected in the All-Australian Schoolgirls’ Netball team in 1970, inevitably she had to make a choice between the two sports and has no reason for regretting her decision to opt for netball.
She went on to become one of Australia’s finest players in a career spanning almost two decades and played a significant role in Australia’s triumph at the 1983 World Championship in Singapore.
The daughter of triple Sandover Medal winner, Merv McIntosh, she had sport in her blood and was just 14 when she first represented WA schoolgirls in 1969.
She graduated to the State Under-18 side two years later and was a permanent fixture in the WA senior team from 1973 to 1986, the last seven of those seasons as captain-coach.
She played her early games as goal defence, but was mainly at the centre or wing-attack when playing at interstate and international level.
Tall, strong in the air and at ground level, and endowed with lightning reflexes, she was respected for her vision on the court – an uncanny ability to anticipate opposition moves and position herself accordingly.
Jill McIntosh made her international debut in 1974 and was a regular choice in Australian sides from 1980 to 1986. In 1981 she was adjudged “New Idea” Australian Netballer of the Year and the following year was honoured with the captaincy of the national team.
She rates the 1983 World Championship triumph as the most satisfying achievement of her career. “We went to Singapore as underdogs but outplayed the favoured New Zealanders in the deciding match and came home with the gold medals,” she said.
After playing club netball for Jay Dees, City of Perth, South, Belmont, Independents and Bullcreek, she ended her career as a player with Coastal Raiders in 1987 and is remembered as an ornament to the game.
McIntosh was appointed coach of the Australian team in 1995. Under her guidance the team has won the 1995 & 1999 World Championships and the 1998 Commonwealth Games gold medal.