Netball Australia will enter a new era without one of its most influential figures after chief executive Kate Palmer announced she will be stepping down from her role.Palmer will leave the organisation on December 23 as the sport prepares for a new eight-team national competition Super Netball, starting in February.During Palmers 10-year reign, revenue has grown from $6 million to $26 million, with the game still the highest participation sport for women in Australia.Importantly, more of the countrys elite netballers can now become professional.Under the new collective bargaining agreement for the Super Netball competition, the average salary for netballers will rise from about $40,000 to $67,500, and the minimum wage more than doubles to $27,375.The new league also secured a five-year broadcast deal with Channel Nine and Telstra.Former Diamonds captain Liz Ellis saw first hand how influential Palmer had been in transforming the sport.Netball was always talked about as the sleeping giant, and in the last decade Kate Palmer has, using a process of gentle shaking and persuasive talking through to outright kicking, woken it, Ellis said.Under her leadership huge change has occurred.Most notably from my point of view, elite players have moved from being poorly recompensed and undervalued, to being some of the best paid and most highly valued female athletes in the country.Kate has never been afraid of change, and in fact has been a brilliant change agent for netball.Under Palmers watch, netball has seen the start and finish of the trans-Tasman Championship, as well as the move into Super Netball.The successful staging of the Fast5 event in Melbourne, and the continued growth of the mass participatn event Netfest on the Gold Coast have been other projects Palmer has been proud to oversee.One of the great challenges has been balancing the emphasis on high performance and winning milestone events, while also ensuring that every little girl in the country can play the game and be the best they can be, Palmer said.Its a sport that connects us and builds lifelong friendships, and thats ultimately whats important.Palmer advised the board several months ago that she intended to step down following her 10-year anniversary, which fell last week.Deputy chief executive Marne Fechner will step in as acting chief executive when Palmer steps down next month, with the board expected to make a permanent appointment early next year. Hydro Flask 32 OZ . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Hydro Flask 40 OZ . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. http://www.sverigehydroflask.com/hydro-flask-kaffe.html .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Hydro Flask Tillbehör . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Hydro Flask Ombre . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. IRVING, Texas -- Bill Callahan is replacing coach Jason Garrett as the play-caller for the Dallas Cowboys. So said owner Jerry Jones on Tuesday. Even Callahan himself confirmed it. All of which served only to get Garrett to dig in a little deeper in his refusal to publicly acknowledge a change in the role hes had since Jones hired him as offensive co-ordinator in 2007. "There is no real advantage for us to reveal whos calling the plays explicitly, and how were going to do it, in early June," Garrett said. "Its just the way I feel about it. We have a plan in place. Weve had a plan in place for a long, long time. I dont want to get into that plan much further than I already have." Garrett kept play-calling duties when he replaced head coach Wade Phillips halfway through the 2010 season. Jones wanted Phillips to be the defensive play-caller when he hired him, and he wanted the same for Garrett on the offensive side. But Jones dropped the first hint during Senior Bowl practices in January that a change was in the works. He even specifically mentioned Callahan, who called plays for the Oakland Raiders as offensive co-ordinator and head coach from 1998 to 2003. Callahan, who is offensive co-ordinator and offensive line coach, has consistently deferred to Garrett when the topic came up this off-season, but finally relented when told that Jones had said the decision to let Callahan call plays was made weeks ago. Callahan looked to be the one calling plays during off-season workouts, and Jones said anyone "looking at practice ... can get a pretty good idea of how its going there." "Its a real honour and a great responsibility," Callahan said.dddddddddddd"Im flattered to be part of this and take on the additional responsibilities of calling the plays in the course of the game." Garrett has faced the question of whether he would give up play-calling duties because of poor game management decisions in several losses the past two seasons. The Cowboys finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs both times. Callahans offence had a rough season in his debut with the Raiders, but finished no worse than eighth in points and yards per attempt each of the next four years. Callahan also spent four years as head coach at Nebraska. "I think hes an outstanding coach with the kind of experience that I really think is good for us right now," Jones said. "The fact that he has been head coach, college, as well as in the NFL, you bring all of that to bear." Garrett said his refusal to announce the change had nothing to do with whether he agreed with it. "Im completely on board with all decisions we make," Garrett said. "We make collective decisions in this organization. We always have and we always will." While playfully acknowledging that he wasnt thrilled with his owner revealing the play-calling decision, Garrett said his relationship with Jones has never been better. "Hes an outstanding owner because he cares a great deal about this football team and making the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys great," Garrett said. "When youre in an environment like that, working for a guy like that, the pedal is down and thats a good thing. The pedal is down for all of us." ' ' '