EMILY Hateley of Natimuk United started playing netball when she was 15.
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Hateley is originally from Natimuk and went to every game day with friends from school.
She started playing netball with friends, including Danielle Fleay, who remains in this season’s A Grade squad with Hateley.
“We’ve been playing there forever,” she said.
“We have other friends in other grades, too. It’s the same with Jo (Taylor) and Cheryl (Sudholz) – we’ve all been together since then.”
Hateley said her team had discussed their shared interests and shared circumstances only recently.
“We were saying how we are the mums team of A Grade. I think there are only two who don’t have kids,” she said. “That’s good, though – we know how to focus and how to do our roles.”
Hateley said she has started to play stronger netball during the second half of the season.
“The team has been really good this year. We all get along and we are all positive,” she said. “The whole club has been positive this year – not only for netball but football as well.”
Hateley was among the Ewes’ A Grade team to win the 2015 grand final against Laharum.
“I think everyone is happy we are playing Harrow-Balmoral in the grand final,” she said. “I think both teams deserve to be there.”