'I'm a professional netballer. Here are 3 questions I constantly get asked, answered.'

Amy Parmenter remembers when she was given the opportunity of a lifetime to be a training partner with the GIANTS for the first time. 

The energy was electric and she could barely contain her excitement.

But what stayed with her was just how warm everyone on the team was towards her, a young woman set on pursuing a career in professional netball. 

"Everyone was so kind, and it was so fun to train with the best in Australia," she tells Mamamia. "I remember just being so excited for that opportunity. It felt like an unreal experience."

Amy always knew she wanted to be a professional athlete, but there was a pivotal moment when she fell in love with the sport. 

"It's a magnetic sport," she explains. "I had an epiphany when I was about 15 that this was what I wanted to do for the long haul but I hadn't grown up playing the sport like a lot of the other girls. It kind of just became a passion. So I had to work hard, extremely hard, to keep up."

The hard work paid off because in 2019, she stepped onto the court where she made her debut for the GIANTS.

Quickly, her talents magnified her and she built a fan base known as the "Parmy Army". 

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That same year she won the 2019 Super Netball Rising Star award and earned her spot in the national Diamonds squad. 

It's hard and excruciating work, but Amy enjoys it. In fact, she welcomes it. 

And as difficult as the physical toll can be, the professional athlete does everything she can to ensure she is taking care of her mental wellbeing as well.

Amy explains that in netball, it's paramount.

And organisations like HCF, in proud partnership with Netball Australia, are committed to empowering and supporting women like Amy in taking charge of their mental health and wellbeing, enabling them to live their healthiest lives. 

Here, Amy answers the three questions you've probably always wanted to ask a professional athlete.

1. How do you manage a balance between taking care of your body and your mind? 

If you're not an athlete, then there's a chance you probably already know just how much value is placed on ensuring wellness through the mind and the body. 

"I'm getting paid and doing a job that quite literally relies on my body," she shares. "So it's not really an option to not take care of it."

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Of course, maintaining a robust fitness routine and healthy eating habits, are both expected. But in the background, Amy also sees a therapist and journals daily.

"I started journalling when I was a teenager and it's become something I do every day," she says. "No matter what. It's pretty important for me because it helps me calm down and stay focussed on my goals, my plans and ambitions."

2. What does a day off look like for you?

Most days for Amy are all about setting herself up to have a good day, including her training days, game days and even her days off. 

Meaning the professional athlete doesn't really ever give herself a day off, but that doesn't mean she doesn't relax and recuperate for her next game. 

A day off looks different for many athletes, but for Amy, it's about doing what she loves most. 

From journalling to a morning swim, she says she also likes to focus on spending time with friends and her loved ones.

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"Some of my best friends play netball too," Amy shares. "So, we're all like-minded in that sense. I don't really feel like I'm missing out on anything because we all have similar goals and priorities. 

"But mostly, I get my mind right and enjoy everything I don't typically have time for."

3. How do you juggle your everyday life with your professional career as an athlete? 

If you've ever assumed that there is quite literally no balance when it comes to being a professional athlete and having an everyday life, you'd be sorely mistaken. 

Because for Amy, who has been playing professional netball for over 5 years, she has a bigger picture in mind. 

When she's not on the court, she's investing her time into her project The Tie Dye Project, which focuses on fundraising and raising awareness for sarcoma after losing her mother in 2013 to mesothelioma (a type of cancer that affects the tissue lining the internal organs). 

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"We tie-dyed with our mum," she shares. "My sister and I wanted to do something fun but also meaningful and that's where the idea for The Tie Dye Project came from. It's incredibly important for me and keeps me busy outside of sport." 

HCF believes in empowering women to take control of their own health and wellbeing. Explore their women's health library with guides, articles, podcasts and videos – everything you need for a strong body and mind. 

Feature Image: Instagram/@amyparmenterr.