Netball great joins Cricket Victoria team

NETBALL legend and Bendigo Sports Star of the Year Hall of Fame member Sharelle McMahon is taking on a new challenge with Cricket Victoria.

Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, McMahon is the new chief of CV’s women’s program.

The gun goal attack from Bamawm will bring more than 25 years of experience in elite netball to helping the next generation of Victoria’s cricketers.

In recent years the pathway has included now Australian pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck from Bendigo.

A star at junior level with Strathdale-Maristians, Vlaeminck was a finalist in Sports Star of the Year in 2018 following Australia’s victory in the T20 World Cup final, and in 2019 after a successful Ashes tour of England.

McMahon played at goal attack or goal shooter for the Australian Diamonds in 118 matches.

She had key roles in the Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning campaigns in 1998 and 2002, and silver in 2006 and 2010.

She was Australia’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the Delhi Commonwealth Games in 2010 and the Diamonds were world champions in 1999 and 2007, and runner-up in 2003.

The star from Bamawm was the second female to be a dual Bendigo Sports Star of the Year winner.

Water skiing champion Kaye Thurlow earned the top award in 1968-69 and 1971-72.

McMahon was inducted to Bendigo’s Sports Star Hall of Fame in 2008-09 alongside top golfer Ann Howe.

Her most recent roles in netball were assistant coach for the Victorian Institute of Sport, specialist coach with Australian Diamonds, and also on the coaching team for Melbourne Vixens.

McMahon played 216 games in the country’s highest netball league for Melbourne Phoenix and later Melbourne Vixens.

She is also a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

The McMahon family has excelled in many sports. Sharelle’s parents, John and Olive are keen golfers, as is sister Kate.

A star on the footy field, John McMahon was the May, 1970 finalist in Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year awards.

Many years later, son Paul was a brilliant player for Bendigo Pioneers in the-then TAC Cup and was drafted to North Melbourne in 1997.

Paul also played for Lockington Bamawm United and North Ballarat.

At Cricket Victoria, Sharelle McMahon will oversee all aspects of CV’s female performance pathway, premier club promotion and support, preparation and engagement through secondary schools.

CV’s newest off-field recruit is looking forward to new challenges.

“I’m pretty excited – and I’ll admit nervous – about making the move into cricket,” McMahon said.

“I’ve always prided myself on new challenges and new learning and this is a fantastic opportunity to bring my knowledge of high performance and elite women’s sport to Cricket Victoria.”