More than just minutes: The heart behind Kelea Iongi's netball journey

For many athletes, progressing through the sporting ranks can create a comfortable bubble - one that blurs whether an athlete's selection is earned by performance or reputation.

However, for 25-year-old netballer Kelea Iongi, stepping outside her comfort zone showed her what she needed.

Iongi parted ways with her family in Sydney last year, to chase her netball dream, having signed a contract with the Central Pulse for the 2024 ANZ Premiership.

The signing marked not only a career milestone, but also the first time Iongi has ever lived away from home.

In an interview with Pacific Huddle, Iongi shares what receiving her first contract in a different country has meant for her identity.

“I felt seen in a way, obviously you’re identified here and you get identified for all the pathways and I’ve been blessed enough to be in those pathways,” Iongi says.

“To be able to snatch up my first contract…overseas, it was like someone was looking at me, someone sees my potential and wants to help me develop my skill. I just felt cared for,” she says.

While settling in the new environment, Iongi faced the challenge of competing for court time, which built her courage and strengthened her faith, she says.

As a circle defender, Iongi found herself contesting court time against top talents like Kelly Jackson and Paris Mason.

Kelea Iongi with the 2024 Central Pulse Netball team. Photo/Supplied

Instead of letting limited minutes frustrate her, she chose to cultivate gratitude and adopt a more positive perspective.

“It was difficult, I felt sad because I couldn’t play a lot of Netball, but I took it as being grateful in that situation,” she says.

“I had to stay positive or else I would have been in such a different mindset, and I didn’t want to make it about me, I’m one person out of 10 other girls.

“I just took the positive out of it,” says a humble Iongi.

Kelea Iongi and her family. Photo/Supplied

Adversity is not unfamiliar to Iongi, and one of her most poignant moments was during the buildup to the 2023 Netball World Cup in South Africa, when a close relative came out of retirement.

Former 68-test cap Australian Diamond Mo’onia Gerard donned the red dress for the Tongan Tala Netball team alongside her niece Iongi.

The early stages of the campaign were more than just sports-focused - it was a tribute.

“Leading into the World Cup wasn’t an easy one, Mon had lost her mum, and that’s from my dad's side, she was basically his second mum,” she explains.

Kelea Iongi, left, Mo'onia Gerrard, right, at the Tongan Tala dress presentation for the 2023 Netball World Cup. Photo/Supplied

“Seeing him in that state when I had to leave for South Africa, it was a different type of strength to tap into.”

Admiring her aunt, fresh out of retirement and preparing for the world stage, is a moment she will always cherish, Iongi says.

Iongi says it is her faith which helps her to juggle everything life throws at her.

“A lot of my values and standards come from my faith,” she says.

“My faith has set me up with a lot of what comes my way regarding netball, the closed doors, the open doors and staying grateful for what is for me and what isn’t for me.”

Many professional athletes are taught to leave their matters at the door and keep their performance separate from their private life.

While the idea is understandable, Iongi’s journey stands out as a testament to living that principle with grace and humility, all while learning to trust an unfamiliar and at times uncomfortable process.

Listen to Kelea Iongi's full interview below.