100 years of netball in Geelong

GEELONG Central Netball Association will mark its 100th year this Sunday, October 13 with a celebration for the ages at Provenance Wines in Fyansford.

The venue is fitting given the association’s origins, starting in the 1920s when women’s basketball was played at the woollen mills.

By the 1930s, more and more girls were wanting to play and two gravel courts were laid at Kardinia Park on land previously occupied by a zoo and lily ponds.

In the 1950s, more courts were laid at Kardinia Park in the present location and summer basketball was introduced due to its popularity.

In 1958, the first court lights were installed to allow night games and the 1970s saw many changes for both players and umpires, including the disappearance of the word ‘basketball’ which was replaced with ‘netball’, as well as the first televised matches in 1979.

Also in the late 1970s, a young Simone McKinnis began playing netball at Kardinia Park.

She is widely regarded as the greatest Australian wing defence of all time and will hopefully be at the 100 Year Celebration event, on a Q&A panel.

The 1990s saw Janette Davis and Nicole Marshall both named in the Victorian U21 team, with stalwart Holly Carew, who celebrates her 100th birthday this year, awarded a VNA Distinction Award for services to netball in 1991.

The new millennium brought numerous changes to netball in Geelong, including the update of Kardinia Park’s courts from asphalt to a softer, wet-weather acrylic surface, the clubrooms updated to include the Holly Carew Umpires room and the Marg Ryan and Lois Colwell Office in recognition of the time and dedication of three stalwarts of Geelong netball.

After a few years of trying to make it work, the two associations amalgamated, with Geelong Unity and Geelong Netball Association becoming Geelong Central Netball Association, and going from strength to strength.

In 2017, Jaimee Van Leerdam was a member of the undefeated 19-and-under state team in Canberra.

Team numbers were increasing and the ever-popular trainee umpires program was developing some great young umpires.

Today, the Geelong Central Netball Association offers programs and competitions for NetSetGo, minis, juniors, boys U12s and U14s, seniors, mixed, walking netball and all-abilities, with over 400 registered players and all still based at Kardinia Park.

To attend the 100th celebration, to be hosted by former Australian Diamond and local Geelong netballer Madi Browne, tickets must be purchased before the event at geelongcentralnetballassociation.au.

Attendees can expect an afternoon filled with history, stories and memorabilia plus an exciting panel of speakers including Simone McKinnis, Susan Meaney and Chris Brown, with others to be confirmed.

For more information, or to share memorabilia or stories in the leadup to the event, email [email protected].

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