Williamston High School’s all-conquering senior netball team. 71368
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
ONE of the most dominant sporting teams in Victoria is approaching the end of an era.
The side has not received the plaudits its deserved, but Williamstown High School’s senior netball side will go down as a truly legendary outfit.
The side confirmed legendary status when it won all three major Victorian netball tournaments this year – the School Sport Victoria Schools Championships, the Waverley International Schools Netball Championship, and most recently the Netball Victoria Schools Championships, where Williamstown defeated Geelong Grammar 17-5 in the final.
But the team’s dominance runs far deeper. Formed six years ago, this Williamstown High School side has never lost a game. It’s an incredible record.
Hume City Falcons coach Marg Lind, who heads up the Williamstown High School and Maribyrnong Secondary College netball programs, said the Williamstown High School side was a “once-in-a-lifetime” group.
The team includes four players who have been together from the start – Maggie Lind, Vanessa Augustini, Abbey McLellan and Olivia Mitchell. Morgan Mitchell joined the group soon after.
“I think because of the strength of the group and their attitude, they’re a bit unusual, they really pull each other along and I think that’s why they’ve been so successful,” Lind said.
But the team will be split next year as Augustini and Olivia Mitchell are in their last year of school.
However, Lind said there’s enough talent underneath to push the team along next year.
After that it’s unlikely a school team will be so dominant for such a long period of time.
Williamstown simply has a senior side flush with talent. Lind captained Victoria’s under-17 team this year, while Olivia Mitchell represented Victoria’s under-19 team. Augustini played state level basketball but has decided to try and get into the state netball under-19s this year. McLennan is another gifted athlete, and in April was named in the Australian women’s baseball squad.
The Netball Victoria Schools Championships was the one event that Williamstown was yet to conquer, having not been old enough to contest the senior title. Being the only opportunity for this group of girls to win the title, Lind said there was no way they were letting it slip.
“They just said we’re not losing. It was one of the toughest tournaments we’ve ever played in because all the independent schools were in it as well. That was one we’ve never actually come up to so that was really important for us.”
Lind has another chance to mould a team in a similar vein to Williamstown High’s. The Maribyrnong College Year 8 team has won all major school tournaments this year
“The Maribyrnong group is really good and full of raw potential,” Lind said.
“There is a group of little winners in there. It’s all about attitude and how committed they are, and the intensity of that Maribyrnong group is really good.”
