United celebrates 35 years
NETBALL GIRLS AND FAMILIES TO GATHER TO SHARE MEMORIES AND RELISH CLUB’S ONGOING SUCCESS
Shepparton United has not struggled to come by success in its time in the Goulburn Valley Netball League.
Yet it was not always that way when the netball club fielded sides in the inaugural year of the league in 1981.
But once the first premiership was won in B-reserve in 1995, they have continued to flow with a combined 25 grand final wins in all senior grades.
The winning 1995 team had its own premiership parade being driven around town in the back of a ute.
It took a bit longer to get an A-grade premiership with Jenny Barlow (2005), Adam Sloan (2009), Rachael Withycombe (2010) and Di Hanslow (2014) the esteemed coaches that have brought top honours to the club.
Although this year’s performances in A-grade have not yielded similar results, the Demons still have an extraordinary history to look back on.
Tomorrow following United’s match against the Shepparton Swans, it will celebrate its 35 years of involvement in netball.
Teams of each decade will be announced as the club reunites members from far and wide, as those now at rival clubs also share in the festivities.
Sandra Cox has not strayed far from the Demons, having helped instigate a United team as well as being the inaugural president of the GVNL.
‘‘It is hard to remember how it came about, we tossed it around, it came out of nowhere,’’ Cox said.
‘‘There was a girl from Shepparton and two from United and it snowballed, we didn’t think it (the league) would get this big.
‘‘Our daughters were playing association netball, so we’d have to go and watch them and then go to the footy.’’
They came up with a way to entertain themselves and keep fit while husbands and sons were playing football.
‘‘We had a lot of players’ partners and wives that wanted to play, which was good,’’ Cox said.
Family members could now congregate at the same ground on the same day, creating an atmosphere that Cox said created a loyal base at the Demons.
From the beginning many have stayed on as Cox watches the new brigade take over the
THERE WAS A GIRL FROM SHEPPARTON AND TWO FROM UNITED AND IT SNOWBALLED, WE DIDN’T THINK IT (THE LEAGUE) WOULD GET THIS BIG. — SANDRA COX
organisation of the netball club she founded.
‘‘The people that are involved now are the people that were kids way back then,’’ she said.
More than 100 people are expected to gather at the Demons’ club rooms tomorrow night and pre booking is not essential. ● Festivities begin at 7 pm and anyone wanting more information can phone Sharee Gibson on 0417 324 891.