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<\/p>\n
“It was a great competition; I loved the experience over there,” van Egmond said.<\/p>\n
“There was no mud. Obviously it was (played) in summer time. But this definitely tops that.<\/p>\n
“Best on ground medallist is my greatest achievement now.”<\/p>\n
A keen netballer, basketballer and soccer player during her high school years, she had long been tempted to give football a crack but had resisted the urge until last year.<\/p>\n
“I have always wanted to play and I finally got the time and opportunity. Redan accepted me into their club two weeks before the season started,” she said.<\/p>\n
“The rest is history.”<\/p>\n
It’s performances like those last weekend that suggest she is determined to make up for lost time.<\/p>\n
Apart from her time at Redan, she has this year made a handful of appearances for Wimmera league club Natimuk.<\/p>\n
While the win was bliss, a feature of the interleague experience for van Egmond was the camaraderie among the playing group and the new friendships formed with players from other clubs.<\/p>\n
“It was great to see all of us rival players get together for those training sessions,” she said.<\/p>\n
“It’s really changed my perspective on these other clubs.<\/p>\n
“Everyone is lovely and we worked together.<\/p>\n
“But most of all, I just love the opportunity we have been given.<\/p>\n
“I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to play in the first senior women’s interleague game.<\/p>\n
“Hopefully this paves the way for women in the future in Ballarat.”<\/p>\n
A history-making occasion will not be easily forgotten by van Egmond.<\/p>\n
She planned to take her mud-caked No. 44 jersey home for a wash before making plans to have it framed along with her medal.<\/p>\n
Her attention now will turn to aiding Redan in its quest to rise up the BFLW senior ladder.<\/p>\n
The Lions will head into this Sunday’s clash against Carisbrook in unfamiliar territory in fourth spot, level on seven wins with third-placed Ballarat, one win behind Bacchus Marsh and two behind top side Darley.<\/p>\n
With four home and away games remaining before finals, van Egmond is confident the Lions will soon hit their straps and again be a force at finals time.<\/p>\n
“We know what we’ve got and when we hit finals, we’re in with a good chance,” she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
REDAN’S Emma van Egmond might only have played 31 senior women’s football games in total, but she’s made every single one of them count. The 22-year-old has been named in her side’s best players in at least 15 of those games and has quietly but effectively collected a pair of medals along the way. The […]<\/p>\n