The Standard | LISA Arundell came to Sara Lenehan with a proposal during the pre-season — trial for Old Collegians’ A grade side and see how you fare.
Lenehan considered her options, accepted the challenge and then had a counter-request for the Warriors coach.
“Once I made the decision I wanted to play A grade, I took it on board myself to get fit,” Lenehan said.
“But also being older, I needed to be pushed in different aspects, more the netball than the fitness side of things.”
Arundell was slightly taken aback. She was used to delivering the instructions, not the players, but was rapt with what she’d heard.
“As a coach that’s fantastic you’ve got a player who demands that of you, rather than you demanding it of her,” Arundell said.
The Warrnambool and District league season is two rounds old and the decision has been a win-win for player and club.
The Warriors are unbeaten and Lenehan, who played A reserve at Davidson Oval last season, has provided welcome defensive depth.
She has joined fellow recruit Chloe Arnott and Jess Downing in a new-look back-court unit, with Jodie Maybery having hung up the bib. “I wouldn’t say it’s intimidating but I feel like I’ve got my work cut out,” Lenehan said of walking into a side which has played in back-to-back grand finals.
“I definitely don’t want to disappoint. It’s about taking the challenge of coming back to A grade and coming back to a very good A grade side.”
Lenehan, 33, played juniors with Panmure while stints at Merrivale, Allansford and South Rovers preceded her arrival at Old Collegians.
She gave birth to her fourth child in early 2014 and was considering a year away from netball. But those around her had other ideas.
“Basically through a few connections, Jenny Gleeson and Steph Townsend, they said if I wanted to put my name down, they’d love to have me there,” she said.
She helped the Warriors’ A reserve side to finals and found herself enjoying the season with each week.
“They’re a great bunch of girls at Collegians, very accepting. It was very easy to be a newbie but still feel part of the club,” she said.
“Particularly for myself, it was nice to go and just play. Previously, I coached, played and umpired all on the same day. It was nice to play and be done with it.”
But the coaching bug remained. Lenehan has taken on the A reserve job this season, to go with being the WDFNL junior development officer (JDO) and playing A grade.
“(Being JDO) has definitely given me another aspect to my netball career. It’s so far, so good, I’m hearing positive stuff,” she said.
Old Collegians travel to play East Warrnambool at Reid Oval today. In other A grade fixtures, Merrivale faces a major test at home against Dennington.
South Rovers welcome Panmure to Walter Oval in another intriguing contest while Nirranda plays Deakin University at Nirranda.
Allansford faces Russells Creek at Allansford and Kolora-Noorat hosts Timboon Demons at Noorat.