From a dual-sport teen balancing football and netball, Grace Hay has grown into a dedicated netballer whose pathway journey so far has been shaped by persistence, passion and personal choice.
Playing for the Murray Bushrangers in the Coates Talent League, Hay had the AFLW on her radar and like many young athletes, had dreamt of becoming a professional.
“It was always a thought in the back of my mind, what if I were to potentially go for the draft and get drafted?” she says.
But when her draft year arrived in 2022, so did Year 12 exams, and with the AFLW running two seasons that year, education took priority and Hay chose not to nominate.
Having made that tough call, netball began to take centre stage for Hay, who had made inroads in the Victorian pathway while juggling both sports.
She had made her first appearance in the Victorian Netball League (VNL) with North East Blaze in the 19&Under division.
“I was playing rep, State Titles and I was also trialling for state teams among that,” she says.
“I thought, why not give VNL a crack? That's when I went down and trialled for North East Blaze initially, and I trialled down there three years before I ended up making my first VNL team, which was pretty exciting.”
Hay was now playing VNL with Blaze and football with the Bushrangers. Two teams in two pre-elite leagues across two different sports – there were bound to be challenges balancing those commitments, but Hay found a way to manage both loves.
“I just prioritised what was most important,” she says. “If I had a VNL game, I'd prioritise that. But if I was playing state league footy, I’d weigh what mattered most at the time.”
By 2023, however, the balancing act became too much. After stepping back from club netball to focus solely on VNL and her football commitments, an early-season wrist injury during her first game with the Bushrangers changed everything.
The coaches at Blaze encouraged her to return to club netball to regain court time and confidence. By mid-year, she was back playing club netball, and found herself drifting away from football altogether.
“I didn’t really play much footy after that,” she says. “I just felt more at home on the netball court.”
The thought of returning lingers occasionally, but Hay is focused on her path forward in netball.
Now, Hay suits up for the Western Warriors in the VNL, commuting over three hours each way from Murray to Melton for training and games. It’s a demanding schedule, but one she meets with no hesitation, such is her drive to continue her growth and development in the best possible environment.
“I really missed playing VNL,” she says. “Even though the travel is obviously hard, playing at Warriors has been really good for me. The coaches and girls are so supportive.”
Choosing netball over football isn’t something Hay regrets. In fact, it feels like the right decision, every time she steps back on the court.
One day, she might return to the football field. But for now, netball is where her heart lies – and her commitment, drive and growth prove she’s exactly where she’s meant to be.
