WARRACKNABEAL siblings Ella and Josh Bibby will create history together in the state’s under-18 football competitions this season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ella, 17, finished the inaugural TAC Cup girls competition as runner-up in the Greater Western Victoria Rebels best and fairest count.
She will look to back up that performance in 2018 while Josh, 16, will be looking to break into the region’s TAC Cup size as a bottom-age player in the boy’s squad.
While plenty of brothers have passed through the Rebels pathway programs, the siblings have the chance to be one of the first to represent their family and region at the same time as brother and sister.
Older sister Chloe, 19, has also been busy playing college basketball in the United States with Mississippi State University.
The trio’s father, Adrian, said the children had always just followed him and his wife Leigh-anne around to various sporting grounds while growing up.
“We’ve always just been around sport,” he said.
“Leigh-anne played 300-odd game for Warrack and our kids came along when I was president of the footy club so they just grew up around it – like a lot of kids around here.”
Adrian is the current president of the Warrack Eagles football and netball club.
He said that would make it difficult for him to get to as many Rebels games as he would like in order to watch Ella and Josh.
As a freshman at Mississippi State University Chloe has been getting limited court time while the side made it through the regular season without a loss.
“We think she’s be going really well because she is playing behind an All-American at the four position,” he said.
“To be able to come in behind someone like that and play a few minutes and be part of a pretty successful team has been great for her.”
Adrian said he and Leigh-anne had made a conscious effort not to push their children in any direction.
“It was always about giving them the opportunities to do whatever it is they wanted,” he said.
“The day they don’t want to do it they can stop.”
Coaches within the Wimmera have also had a big influence.
Adrian said Horsham Basketball Association’s Owen Hughan had had an impact on all three.
“Jane Richardson and Sarah Spicer have had a fair bit to do with the girls while Tim Inkster and Ryan McKenzie have been great for Josh,” he said.
“We’re really lucky to have some talented coaches in the Wimmera.”