By Marcus Uhe
What does the Pakenham Netball Club mean to you?
That’s the key question being asked of life members, players, supporters and members of the Lions as they begin a huge year of celebrations for the club’s 85th year on Saturday 23 March with a High Tea at Toomuc Reserve.
If early responses to the question are any indication of the impact of the club, the reflections are set to be wholesome and fulfilling for those involved.
Key themes include community, friends and, crucially, family, something Pakenham Netball Club president, and life member, Marg Jones, and the current members of the Lions strive so hard to foster.
“When people think of (the club) as a ‘Netty family’, that means that we’ve got a good culture, to me,” Jones said.
“We’re working on being inclusive, our values are respect, integrity, so it’s really wonderful when I see all the lovely responses we’re getting.
“It’s such a privilege to be able to do this.”
Jones and the club’s planning committee are working feverishly to compile a comprehensive history of the club, dating way back to 1939 when the Lions wore red and white and played with a leather ball polished with ‘Shoe Nugget’ on Friday nights, to the modern day iteration in vibrant Maroon and Blue, as key members of the Outer East Football Netball competition.
The club changed colours in 1991, in order to align with the Football club’s jumpers.
Interviews are being conducted, memorabilia and photos are being compiled and stories are being shared, with the finished product to be published in a booklet later in the season at one of the many functions on the horizon.
While conceding the growth of Pakenham and surrounds has made for a smorgasbord of sporting options, Jones believes the Lions maintain a strong footprint on the community.
“I would hope we’re as relevant today as we were back when we first started, back when people wanted to be involved in a community sport, have somewhere to come along and feel included, and somewhere to play sport,” she said.
“We share the landscape with a lot more sports – in those days it was just tennis in summer, footy and basketball (as netball was called). Now there’s so many wonderful sporting options.
“I believe we’re still relevant and somewhere for people to come.
“We’ve got 17 teams, all these young people coming along in our stadium programs on Saturdays that are going to be our future seniors.”
Contributions from the community in the form of recollections and relics are welcome, with an aforementioned vintage leather ball among the more sought-after pieces.
Tickets for the High Tea are available to purchase through the committee or emailing the club at pakenhamlionsnc@gmail.com.
