The experienced sports administrator joins Netball NSW from the Brisbane Broncos, where she has been a senior member of the club's executive team for the past five years. Her roles with the Broncos included head of the club's NRL women's program.

Drinkwater grew up in Newcastle and is no stranger to netball. She played representative netball for Westlakes and Charlestown and her father was a successful NSW state titles coach.

The 43-year-old played a key leadership role in the design and delivery of the inaugural NRLW competition and helped secure three consecutive women's premiership titles for the Broncos while expanding the financial and commercial portfolio of the club in the process.

Prior to working for the Broncos, Drinkwater held senior and executive management roles in the Australian mining industry for 16 years, leading major operational and business transformation projects in remote and regional communities.

She was excited to by the opportunity "to build on the all-important foundation of community netball and perpetuate the on-court success of both the NSW Swifts and Giants netball into financial self-sustainability".

"By enhancing the commercial footprint of our professional clubs, we can bring our elite players and coaches the recognition and reward they deserve, which will place Netball NSW in a strong position to offer our grassroots and volunteers even more support to continue to thrive," Drinkwater said.

Netball NSW president Louise Sullivan congratulated Drinkwater on her appointment as the state body looked to bounce back "stronger than ever" from a COVID-interrupted 2020.

"Tain has a lifelong connection to netball and is deeply passionate about the sport with a sound understanding of the challenges associated with participation and facilities," Sullivan said.

"Pre-COVID-19 we had two consecutive record-breaking grassroots participation years above 115,000 and we are determined to get back to those levels and build on them."