From joining the Warriors as a "new to town" single woman, to playing her 150th game with three kids in two, Michelle Beaton thinks herself lucky to play netball for a club she loves.
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Honoured to have played a milestone number of games for the club, Beaton said her focus on the day was around the team.
"I was honored to have played 150 games at such a wonderful club and it was a nice personal achievement for myself," she said.
"I dont like to comment on my personal game as it is team game and it takes a team effort for players to play well.
"I am proud to say though, that the team started strong and played the best game of our early season and came up with a great win for my 150th game."
Joining the Warriors in the mid 2000's, Beaton has played in every senior grade.
"As an older player now I play a different role within the club," she said.
"I play with a lot of junior kids now and enjoy seeing them come up into the senior grades and help develop and mentor them.
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"It's encouraging to see their skills and personalities grow as they learn and develop - helping improve their game is what I like to play for now."
Having several breaks throughout her career due to three children, Beaton plays C Grade in the 2019 season.
"I was originally drawn to the club because it was very welcoming and supportive to their players," she said.
"Over the years as my circumstances have changed I have found we, as a family, have still felt very at home at the Warriors.
"Nothings changed transitioning from a single person to a family."
Played in the attacking end of the court as a shooter, Beaton said not much has changed within the sport over the years she has been involved.
"The play has got faster, for me, because I've got older," she chuckled.
"Rules change as you go through any sport and you just have to adapt to them otherwise you get left behind.
As a mentor for junior players, Beaton said junior numbers in sport is starting to become concerning.
"I think because of the technology at fingertips reach in society plays a big role," she said.
"I don't think there are as many kids now days looking for things to do. Before the big drive with technology there was no choice - you had to find something to do and for most that was play a sport.
"As parents and adults I think we need to encourage children to get outside and play sport, any sport at any level and just enjoy themselves and know what it is to be part of a team.
"Learning the skills of winning and losing and camaraderie - the values team work instills from sport are really hard to find elsewhere in life.
Not having played club netball until she moved to Stawell, Beaton was an avid horse rider.
"I played school netball in Hamilton where I grew up," she said.
"Netball and horse riding were my main sports and as I got older netball started to take over."
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