By Marcus Uhe
Saturday 23 September will live long in the memory of all connected to Narre Warren netball on the back of remarkable success stories through both its senior and junior programs.
All four of the Magpies’ senior sides, A, B, C and D grade, claimed grand final victories at Officer, following earlier premiership victories in 15-under and 17-under Blue.
Add to those six, the success of 15-under and 17-under White, the week before at Healesville, and you’re left with eight premierships from a possible 10 sides entered into competitions at the start of the season.
All sides other than the 13-under team also topped their respective ladders in the home-and-away season as a show of remarkable consistency throughout the year.
From 72 senior home-and-away games in the four senior grades, the club scooped 66 wins, as D Grade went through the campaign undefeated, only losing a second semi-final by one goal on its way to the premiership.
The C Grade netball side left hearts in mouths, the last senior side to take to the court on grand final day, reeling in a five-goal three-quarter-time deficit to knock-off Olinda Ferny Creek, securing the fourth of four possible senior premierships for the club.
It sparked jubilant celebrations for the Magpies, as players in successful grades – who stuck around to watch the remainder of the afternoon’s action – gathered in the middle of the court to sing the club song before the festivities continued back at the Kalora Park clubrooms.
There must be something special about the netball courts at Officer Recreation Reserve, as it was the scene of the 2016 sweep of the senior grades too in the South East Football Netball League.
B Grade and 17 Blue coach Michelle Mashado said Saturday’s achievements will go down as one of the best days in the club’s recent history.
“We came away with eight flags in 2023, (so) this had to be one of the best years,” she said.
“I think the way we attacked preseason and the girls got around one-another, anything’s possible, but we probably could see that they were pretty strong teams going forward.”
The commitment and dedication behind the scenes from the likes of Mashado, Treasurer and head of the netball program Kim Tonna, Football Netball Club President Stuart Stephenson and many more, all comes to fruition on days like Saturday, when the flags and cups are presented at the clubrooms with great pride, along with the under 19s and reserves football silverware.
Stephenson said he was extremely proud of the exploits of the netballers and the success of the netball program.
“Led by our coaches and volunteers, we think we have created a great space for our young netballers to excel,” Stephenson said.
“Michelle and Kim have created an open and inclusive, culturally diverse club where everyone feels welcome.
“A lot of the senior girls take on the coaching roles of the junior netballers, which I think helps bring them into the club culture and lets them know how important the club is, what volunteering is about, and what brings success.”
Mashado believes the successful culture is born through influencing the club’s youngest participants and making the club a destination that people want to be a part of.
“They come in under 13s and they stay with us,” she said.
“They just keep getting better and, as the years go on, they filter them up through senior netball and they know the structures and training program.
“I think that’s the key to our success, keeping our juniors.
“I think people want to stay because it’s such a family orientated club.
“We do incorporate a few events to have the seniors and the juniors together, and I think that’s something the juniors look forward to, and the seniors embrace.”
Erin Bell’s A Grade side provided one of the highlights of the day by securing the championship with a 54-44 win over Wandin.
Despite finishing at the top of the table in the home and away season, her team was forced to do it the hard way in September, losing to the Bulldogs in a second semi-final and having to overcome Mt Evelyn in the preliminary final at Yarra Junction, a side that had beaten them twice in the home-and-away season.
With the pressure on in the final term, a 10-goal run silenced the critics and snatched the momentum to ensure more premiership glory for the club.
“It’s an incredible club to be a part of, obviously a really successful club as well,” Bell said of Narre Warren.
“It’s a credit to everyone who runs it behind the scenes.
“The players want to be there and everyone has that heart.
“It’s really nice to be a part of.”
