Written by Amelia Barnes
Liz Coles has been around Geelong Central Netball Association (GCNA) her entire life.
Following in her mother’s footsteps, she joined the committee when she was 16, and is now a life member of the organisation where she remains the secretary 50 years later.
“We've got six on our general committee, and five of those have got mothers who were also life members,” said Coles.
Thanks to these dedicated volunteers and thousands of past and present members, GCNA (formerly known as Geelong Unity) is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2024.
GCNA began as an informal competition in Geelong’s woollen mills run by English women who had migrated to work in Australia.
“The mill managers got together and drew out some courts actually inside the mills… so they ended up running a little industrial basketball competition, as they called it, for a couple of years,” said Coles.
Word got out, and a Saturday afternoon competition was soon established by Geelong Unity.
The association moved to dirt basketball courts at Kardinia Park in 1934, then to asphalt courts on the other side of the park in 1954, which have been upgraded over time to include lights in the late 1950s, clubrooms (replacing a tent and tin shed) in 1968, and a plexipave surface in 2011.
A significant milestone in the association’s history was in 1960, when GCNA became the only country association selected to host the visiting New Zealand team.
“Three local teams played the touring side, took them out for dinner and out on a bus trip to the seaside… We've got the original menu from that day,” said Coles.
The name Geelong Central Netball Association was established in 2010 when Geelong Unity and Geelong Netball Association (GNA) combined to form the one organisation.
Numerous players, coaches, umpires, spectators, and volunteers have graced GCNA over the decades, which prides itself on fostering an inclusive and fun environment for its 650 current members.
All are invited to participate at the association that runs Woolworths NetSetGO clinics, a representative program, an umpire trainee program, and competitions for Minis, Juniors, Boys, Seniors, Mixed, and Walking across Monday and Wednesday nights throughout the school terms.
“You name it, we have it,” said Coles.
GCNA’s committee strives to make the sport as affordable as possible, as well as allowing inclusive and flexible uniform options.
“We appreciate that times have been pretty tough the last few years, so kids can play in their school sports uniforms if they're a school team,” Coles said.
“It's a really family-friendly and cost-effective sport to play.”
To celebrate their anniversary, GCNA will host an official event in October at Provenance Wines with guest speakers and memorabilia.
They’ll also introduce occasional modified rules throughout Semester Two to remind players of the sport’s history.
Coles explained, “It used to be that wherever you landed in the goal circle, that’s where you shot from. So, there will be a week that the goaler shoots in the circle, but the defender can't defend, and if the shooter misses, the defender just gets a throw in.
“We're going to have a goal shooting competition where the players have to shoot with the ball right down by their shoulder rather than up high, which is obviously what we teach these days.”
Players will also observe some of the late 1960s rules when there was only one umpire on court and no bibs to keep track of players’ positions.
“That's how I got my badge – with one umpire and no bibs!” Coles said.
“It’s just to make it a bit of fun for them and think a little bit about the history as well.”
Coles is proud of what GCNA has achieved over the past century, which will hopefully be preserved and enhanced by the next generation.
The committee does it all for the love of the sport and fostering a close-knit community – just as their own mothers did.
“We're a grassroots association, so we have no sponsors, and no paid employees,” Coles said.
“We're all volunteers that just want to see the fun side of netball and give a sport for the kids to get out there and enjoy themselves as we've all done back in our time.”
Coles loves seeing players competing at the same location as their mothers and grandmothers, who collectively helped make netball Australia's number one team participation sport for women and girls.
“It’s nice that history can continue on.”
