Lauren Gilcrist enriched her legacy at the Sunbury Lions’ when she played her 400th Ballarat Netball League game on the weekend.
Gilcrist is now in her 26th season at the club and was one of the first members of the Lions’ netball program.
She first started with the Lions as a 16-year-old in the reserves team when the club moved to the BNL. At that time the Lions only had two netball teams, now each club has six.
“You create the friendships and from there you stay with it because it’s enjoyable,” Gilcrist said.
“It’s just that social aspect as well as the competition.
“My husband was a footballer at Sunbury, so we met through the football club and both of our parents have been involved in the club.”
Her aunty was treasurer at the time and her mum was later netball administrator for at least 10 years. Gilcrist’s sister also played netball with the Lions for about 10 years.
Speaking before the milestone, Gilcrist said she was happy the game was being played at home so she could celebrate with friends and family.
“I want to say thanks to them for their support for it all. I couldn’t do it without them,” she said.
She now has two daughters, Taylah and Madi, with the goal being to step onto a court alongside both of them at the Lions.
“My oldest is playing now, she’s 16… my youngest is 12… we hope to get there one day, but she’s still a couple of years off,” she said.
“If the body holds out and the knee’s hold up we’ll see how we go, it’ll be pretty special.
“My little one would be upset if I didn’t make it for her.”
Gilcrist has had a career that many would envy, including six premierships and three most valuable player awards, all across A and B grade. Although there is one memory that holds a special place in her heart.
“After playing for so many years without one the 2013 premiership was pretty special,” she said.
“It was when Kim (Bailey) who’s now our coach first came back to the club, and she re-established it after we’d had a couple of years where we’d fallen down the grades a bit.”
The 2013 flag started a run of premierships for the club.
“That was a pretty good little era there, playing deep into September for quite some time,” she said.
After having to rebuild the netball program after COVID, Gilcrist said 2023 has a similar feel to the drought breaking season a decade ago.
With her C-grade side currently sitting second on the table, she is hoping she can recreate it this September.
“It would be pretty cool, that’s the aim,” she said.
“It’s a good team because we’ve got that connection between a couple of older players, playing for social reasons, and there’s still some young players up and coming.
“It’s good to be out there teaching them as you play, which is nice.”
