When it comes to milestones in the Victorian Netball League, there’s fewer more significant than playing 200 games - an achievement notched up by Ariels captain and former North East Blaze star, Stacey Gannon last week.
Although Ariels didn’t manage to get the win in Round 17, it was a moment Gannon won’t forget labelling it as “super exciting.”
The talented goaler has been a stalwart of the VNL since its inception in 2009 and has had an illustrious career, including being named in multiple All-Stars sides and winning a championship with the Blaze in 2017.
“Winning the Championship grand final was a highlight. That was a really good season that we played at Blaze, winning the grand final was awesome,” she said.
“When VNL first started and I was a bit younger and playing in the Championship team, making some of the All-Star teams was pretty exciting to get that opportunity and get recognised too.”
Another highlight of Gannon’s career was representing Victoria in the Australian Netball League, getting to mix it with some of the best in the country.
“Playing ANL for two years with Vic Fury, going through both seasons undefeated and winning National Champs was a real highlight. They were both stellar moments and I loved that experience - being coached by really elite coaches and playing alongside players that are really amazing netballers was great.”
Gannon played for North East Blaze prior to joining Ariels, and while she didn’t plan on making the jump to a new club, the homey nature and sense of professionalism at Ariels settled her nerves almost immediately.
“There’s not many differences between the clubs - they have the same sort of professionalism, same sort of structures, how things are run, what’s expected. They have the same level of expectations not only the players but also the coaches and staff around them,” she said.
“I was never intending on changing clubs, and one thing I thought is ‘I’m going to lose that sense of family feel’ but when I got to Ariels it was very similar which I really loved. All the clubs that I’ve been involved with, whether it be coaching or playing, have always had that family feel and I just feel like it’s a part of me. Just knowing that both clubs are similar was really good when I first moved across.”
Gannon boasts plenty of wisdom and experience and leads from the front, captaining both the Blaze and now Ariels. She highlighted the importance of delivering both on and off the court to showcase the standards and expectations you hope to implement.
“You don’t get pressure put on you [as captain] but I feel like it’s a sense of doing the right thing, not only at the game or on court but also off the court, so having that level of professionalism.
“Doing the things away from training or away from games, setting that standard and being able to be approached by players. It’s important to have a relationship with your teammates and also with the coaching staff to produce the best you can.”
When asked about what has kept her playing netball for so long, the answer was simple - her love for the game and the amazing people she has met along the way.
“I’ve got a lot of passion for the sport. I love the girls that I play with, and I just love learning new things. Each year I know I’ve got so much to improve on, and I know that I can do that, so I just love going back learning new things and hanging out with the lifelong friends that I’ve made.”
With the past two seasons interrupted by COVID, this season meant a lot to Gannon and her teammates.
“It was a bit tough those two years, missing out on playing the season. I think we played about 10 games across two years which was super hard. Getting to this season I just really wanted to get the whole season in, have fun doing it, enjoy it and that’s exactly what’s happened.”
Although she is unsure about her playing future, Gannon’s love for the sport will continue even if she isn’t seen wearing the Ariels dress next year.
“I’m still playing it by ear at the moment, wait and see how the body holds up. I’m not 100 per cent sure what I’m doing next season. I will definitely still be playing netball but whether it’s in VNL or not, I’m not sure. I sort of get to the end of the season, have a bit of down time and then go – ‘I want it again’. I don’t like making a call too early,” she said.
Selected Victorian Netball League matches are livestreamed each week via the Netball Victoria Facebook page.
