Firebird ‘overwhelmed’ after snub
MIDCOURT maestro Kim Ravaillion admits she was overwhelmed by the intense commentary around her absence from the Diamonds squad but a chat with coach Stacey Marinkovich has her hopeful the door is not closed on a return in the gold dress.
The dynamic centre admits she turned off her phone following the announcement of the Diamonds side, given the amount of commentary over her absence from the 18-member Commonwealth Games squad.
“It was very overwhelming seeing all the comments but I just turned my phone off because, while it was disappointing I missed out, it was kind of frustrating seeing it all,” she said of commentary that immediately focused on her missing selection.
“It kind of made me feel like I had something to prove and I actually don’t have anything to prove. I’m in the best headspace, I’ve been playing the game and I’m enjoying it and, at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
While she will be bitterly disappointed if she is not on the plane to Birmingham, she is choosing to focus on the things she can control.
The 28-year-old has had a chat with Diamonds mentor Marinkovich and is concentrating on her job with the Queensland Firebirds, knowing strong performances there can only help her get across the line.
“I caught up with Stacey and saw where I was at and her points were very valid,” Ravaillion said.
“(Now), it’s just me doing what she wants to see and hopefully there’s four spots left so there’s still a chance.”
But if a return to the gold dress is not to be, Ravaillion knows she has a full and happy life regardless. A mother to two-year-old Georgie and partner to AFL star Adam Treloar, Ravaillion is in the best space she’s ever been and believes this is helping her bring her best play to the court in a bid to help the Firebirds return to be a premiership force.
The Firebirds sit inside the top four just one win behind leaders West Coast and the Vixens.