Michelle den Dekker

Michelle den Dekker, also known as Michelle Fielke, is an Australian netballer from South Australia. den Dekker represented Australia in 84 tests between 1988 and 1995, including a record 71 as captain. She received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1992 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to sport.

Netball career
Life member of the Garville Netball Club from 1989 to 1995 and helping the club clinch five premierships in 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995. In the national league, den Dekker was captain-coach of the Queensland Firebirds in 1997-98 before returning home to the now defunct Adelaide Ravens.

den Dekker made her Australian debut in 1985, and led Australian to two world championships as captain (1991 and 1995). Michelle played a total of 84 test matches for Australia between 1985 and 1995, including 71 as captain. As captain her team enjoyed a win loss ratio of 92% (65 wins, 6 losses).

den Dekker was voted as Adelaide's greatest netballer to have fronted for the Adelaide Thunderbirds or Adelaide Ravens. She was inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Coaching career
den Dekker OAM was appointed Head Coach of Netball Australia’s new Centre of Excellence in Canberra in April 2014.

den Dekker was the Diamonds Assistant coach for the Australian Netball Diamonds until August 2015 (the 2015 Netball World Cup). Currently still works as a consultant for Netball Australia as a Defence Specialist coach and manages her own Netball consultancy business working to develop our next generation of players and coaches in South Australia<!--

Personal life
Michelle den dekker Honorariums 2014-17          	Ambassador for the Childhood Cancer Association 2012                 	Ambassador for the “Save the Murray Campaign” 2010		South Australian Hall of Fame Inductee 2010		Ambassador South Australian Hall of Fame 2009		Australian Netball Hall of Fame 2007 & 2011	Ambassador Australasian Masters Games 2001		Australian Centenary Medal – Contribution made to Australian Society 2000		Australian Sports Medal – Contribution to Australian Sporting Achievement 1995		Elected to SA Government Constitutional Advisory Council 1993		Patron of and Participant in the “CAPS” Program. (Challenge, Achievement and Pathways in Sport) 1992-1993	Tourism Ambassador of South Australia 1993		SA Great Award –Service to Sport in SA 1992		Advance Australia Award 1992		Netball Australia Players Committee 1992		Awarded OAM

Sporting Awards 2011                  SA Greatest Ever Netballer (1999-2011) 2011                  SA Netball “Team of the Century” Member 2008		Top 50 SASI Athletes of all Time (South Australian Sports Institute) 1997		Touring Car Racing – Perkins Engineering Castrol Cougars’ all female touring car team 1993 & 1997	Winner of the Holden Celebrity Grand Prix Car racing challenge 1997		Castrol Cougars Touring Car Racing Team – Perkins Engineering 1994-1995	SA Mazda Defender of the Year 1993		South Australian Sportswoman of the Year 1993		Advertiser Netballer of the Year 1993    	Medibank Private Garville Best & Fairest 1992		SA Sportsman’s Association – Lindy Award 1990		SA Sports Association Team Person of the Year Award

Netball Playing Achievements Australian Level – 87 Test Caps winning success rate as Australian Captain 65 of 71 games = 92% Current longest reigning Australian Netball Captain

International 1995		World Championships Birmingham Captain Gold Medal 1994		Milo Cup Series Captain 1993		World Games Holland. Captain Gold Medal Milo Cup Series Captain 1992		Kleenex Cup Australia Captain Caribbean Tour Captain 1991		World Championships Captain Gold Medal Kleenex Cup Australia Captain 1990		Commonwealth Games Auckland Captain Gold Medal Johnson & Johnson Cup Australia Captain England Tour Captain 1989		Johnson & Johnson Cup Australia Captain World Games Germany Captain Silver Medal 1988		Johnson & Johnson Cup Australia Vice-Captain 1986		Milo Cup Series 1985		World Games London Gold Medal 1984		Australian 21 Team Vice-Captain

National 1999                  Commonwealth Bank Trophy Adelaide Mazda Ravens 1997-1998        Commonwealth bank Trophy Queensland Firebirds Coach / Captain 1989–1995	South Australian State Netball Captain 1985-1995	South Australian State Team Player 1984		South Australian U”19 Vice-Captain 1983		South Australian U’18 Player 1982-1984	South Australian Sports Institute Team Captain

State 1987-1996       Garville Netball Club Adelaide 1984-1986       Contax Netball Club Adelaide 1983-1986       Oakdale Netball Club Adelaide -->

Awards

 * Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1992
 * SA Great Award, for services to sport in South Australia in 1993.
 * Inducted into the Australian Netball Hall of Fame 2009
 * Inducted into the Inaugural South Australian Hall Of Fame 2010
 * Ambassador for the SA Sports Hall Of Fame alongside Legend Barrie Robran AM.
 * Inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2020.

External sources

 * Michelle de Dekker
 * Netball Australia