A handful of years ago on a Monday night in Melbourne’s south east, a team of mostly 40-somethings was beating - as so often before and since - opponents roughly half their age.
“One of the girls was getting quite annoyed and so she turned around to her teammates and said ‘I’m not used to playing against old bags’,’’ recalls midcourt veteran Jenni Fenton, now 47.
“It sort of spurred us on to play even harder - and we beat them by even more. We had a big laugh about it and we always bring it up to each other. It’s a running joke.’’
The old bags’ official title is the 'Bundies', and the origins of the team are clearer than the reason for what is acknowledged as a “slightly weird” (and probably not rum-related) name.
Fenton and Lisa Duncan are the last of the founding members from a St Peter’s Primary School group formed in East Bentleigh four decades ago, while three or four more who joined during the secondary years also remain. Maternity leave has provided regular interruptions, while, inevitably, others have come and gone.
Friendship has been easily the chief motivation for Fenton, but what is fun is also much more than that.
So, how competitive are the Bundies, on a scale of one to 10?
“Probably 9.5 or even 10!’’ says Fenton. “We definitely hate losing. We go out there to win. One of my friends says that when we don’t win she doesn’t sleep properly that night, because she just goes over the game.’’
The next day, the ageing joints are what typically feel the pain. “The knees. Definitely the knees. Since we’ve had to stop for COVID my knees are feeling so much better. But it’s worth it to still get out there and play with your friends.’’
Out there, but also inside, ideally - and often essentially - for netballers of, well, a certain age.
“I probably wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t on the indoor courts. It’s just so much easier with the elements and the court surface, and to be able to bring your kids along and family to come and watch, and you can hang around and chat afterwards; you don’t have to jump in your car if it’s cold or whatever.’’
Netball Victoria's (NV) Amanda Kappa acknowledges the importance of recent improvements to indoor stadiums as crucial to enhance the player experience for its members.
“Netball Victoria wants to ensure that we are providing access to netball competitions and programs that suit all ages and skill levels,'' says Kappa, Netball Participation Coordinator South East.
"Whether it’s indoor or outdoor, NV are advocating all levels of government to support the provision of best practice infrastructure for our members. For our competitive Masters players, that means access to indoor facilities that support our changing lifestyles and create safe, family-friendly and socially engaging environments for netball and community.''
Melissa Cook is among those whose days of playing outdoors are long gone. At 49, she has weathered one knee reconstruction and three motherhood breaks during the past three decades since switching from basketball, and plans to resume twice a week - once for the Bundies and the other for the GESAC-based Aces - when COVID allows.
Cook has also participated twice at Netball Victoria’s Masters Day, and joined annual trips away to the Albury tournament since 2004. Weekends can stretch to a week, sometimes, and include not just players but extended families as well.
Admitting she doesn’t mind a bit of what we might just call “robust” play, we put to Cook the scale-of-one-to-10 question on competitiveness.
“Oh, 10. Or twelve? Just kidding!
“When I don’t play, my husband hates it, because mentally I’m going crazy. It means the world to me. If we could go back tomorrow, it’d be great, but hopefully it comes back soon because we’re missing it.’’
So is Angela Jeffery, the 40-year-old who competed at Bupa Victorian Netball League (VNL) level for about 10 years, and now suits up for the renowned and long-running Hot Rods in the Waverley Night Netball Association’s (WNNA) Tuesday competition.
All but one are 30-plus, and relying on the sprung floorboards at Jells Park. Many are former State League regulars and two are former Melbourne Kestrels: Christine Tabone (nee Waller) and Melinda Eagleton (nee Cranston). Here, too, the competitive happily co-exists with the social.
“During lockdown, I’ve said ‘you don’t realise how much you miss seeing everyone’,’’ says midcourter Jeffery, who also plays with her sisters Carmen and Lauren on Saturdays. “It’s the same old girls and we keep playing against these young kids that try and knock us off.
“They actually warm up, and we walk on the court, put a bib on and run up and down the court and start. We don’t want to waste our energy. Probably not the best for our bodies, but that’s what we go with!’’
And also what seems to work for the Grand Final regulars, who Jeffery estimates have won more of the past eight than they’ve lost. “We do have white-line fever. We step on court and we go to win.’’
She is seeing signs of the changing times in other ways, though. Now coaching a 15-and-under team in the WNNA, Jeffery is noticing many of her former opponents' children. Some of whom she first saw at courtside in prams and pyjamas.
Players of all levels and ages will return, all going well, in 2021.
“I can’t wait. Very excited to see each other and have a run around,’’ says Jeffery. “Hopefully it gets up in February.’’
As does Fenton, who values both the health benefits of staying fit and active and the personal wellbeing aspect - never more importantly than during the demanding and often-isolating period post-childbirth.
Having coached her 14-year-old twin daughters’ team for the past four or five years, she is itching to return to the court herself, once a week, post-pandemic.
“Want to try and make it to 50,’’ says Fenton, who first played for St Peter’s back in grade two. “So hopefully we can.’’
