KATE Vickery has played A Grade netball for Harrow-Balmoral since she was 15.
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During that time, she’s had only two breaks from the sport – both of a two-season duration.
One of those was 2006-07 while she was at university and the next was 2015-16.
She went on her honeymoon in the 2015 season and was pregnant for the 2016 season.
Vickery’s son, Louis, will turn one on September 22.
Like so many other Southern Roo faithfuls, the A Grade goalkeeper, 30, said one of the greatest things about the club was its family-first attitude.
“We used to make fun of my dad for always saying it was a family club, but as you get older you start to realise that it is,” she said.
“This year, my partner (David) started his own family business and for the first half of the season he was unable to help with Louis.
“But when I had to play a game on Saturday – and even training on Thursday night – I would almost be fighting off people who would want to take him. It makes it so much easier.”
Vickery, nee Houlihan, grew up at Harrow and said Saturday games and Thursday nights at training were the main times people would spend time with their friends.
“On Thursday nights, because everyone has a distance to travel, we have dinner,” she said. “It’s always good to have everyone around, socialising.”
It has been a strong season for the Southern Roos, who finished in second position and defeated minor premier Laharum in the semi-final to earn a weekend off.
“We have a brilliant coach (in Ebonie Salter). She’s amazing,” Vickery said.
“But we support everyone. Buddy days are big at the club. There is no problem if we ask for B Graders to step up into A Grade and then C Grade into B Grade. There is no real divide.”