A net gain for basketballer Cosier

After 12 years of Women's National Basketball League action, Cosier has made a remarkable and rapid rise into a team of the capital's best netballers.

The Canberra Capitals star needed just one game of netball to impress representative coaches and she has been picked to play for the Darters in the second-tier national netball competition.

By her own admission she is still learning the rules and is using videos on the internet to fine tune her skills.

But the Darters are preparing to unleash her against their ANL rivals in a bid to rise to the top of the competition.

Cosier has yet to finalise a deal with the Canberra Capitals for the 2013-14 season.

But while her tenacious defensive attitude has rocketed her into the Darters squad, she is not thinking about a permanent career change just yet.

''I thought my coach was kidding me when she asked me to go to trials,'' Cosier said. ''I was so nervous at the trial … I still feel like a basketballer out there when we do the drills.

''But it's a good challenge … I definitely didn't expect this. I still don't even know the terms, I still don't like wearing a skirt but I'll be over that soon. I am surprised I haven't bounced the ball yet.''

The Darters' season fits in perfectly in preparation for the Capitals' new campaign, starting on July 20 and finishing in the middle of August, just before the WNBL pre-season begins.

''I'm always going to be a basketballer at heart, I've played for 25 years and 12 years in the WNBL,'' Cosier said.

Cosier made her State League debut last month in a bid to keep her fitness up ahead of the Capitals' campaign.

Canberra invited her to training to help bolster its defence and Cosier had an immediate impact. But after her first game, she went on a two-week trip to the US and played just her second match of the season on Friday night as Canberra beat Queanbeyan 63-41.

In other games, league leader Arawang scored a 52-41 win over Tuggeranong, while Belconnen defeated South Canberra 58-41.