STEPH Jamieson reckons she’s got her mother to thank for transforming her from emerging teenage defender into top young shooter.
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“My mum was a coach when I first started netball. I was a defender and mum wanted me to be a goalie because we had no goalies,” Steph said yesterday.
“She actually trained me to be a goalie ... she worked with me and pushed me and made me shoot 100 or 200 goals a day when I was in juniors.
“Which was good. I enjoy being the goalie. I’d rather be a goalie than a defender.”
Kim Jamieson hopes the decision doesn’t come back to haunt her when the pair face off in Warrnambool and District league A grade action at Allansford today.
Steph, 21, will lead the line-up for new club Allansford when it takes on Deakin University, the club Kim is coaching for the first time.
“The girls laugh at me on the sidelines because when the opposition scores I’ll say ‘nice goal, I’ll give them that’,” Kim said.
“And Steph is a nice player but there are tricks around it. Her and (Deakin University defender) Lisa Anders will probably be talking at the goal end because they know each other well.”
The unique match-up marks the first time mother and daughter have been in opposite camps on the netball court — and both are excited about the occasion.
Their journey to today started back in 2006, when the family migrated from New Zealand’s north island to Australia, buying a dairy farm near Timboon.
Steph joined Timboon Demons’ netball ranks and Kim became a coach. Mother has coached daughter twice — in 17 and under and A grade.
But netball, as it does, takes players and coaches their separate ways. What has remained constant is the respect each has for the other.
Kim said she was proud of the way Steph had come back to the court after undergoing a knee reconstruction in 2011.
“I would’ve loved to have her out at Deakin but she needed to break away and that’s what she did,” Kim said.
Steph likewise acknowledged the coaching talents of her mother, who has undoubtedly been the biggest influence on her netball career.
Steph has the reins of the Cats’ B grade side this season and said: “If I’m stuck with something the first person I ring is always mum and she’s happy to help me.”
“Because she knows how I play, she’ll be talking to Lisa, she’ll be in Lisa’s ear saying ‘if you move her around, she won’t be able to play her natural game’,” Steph said.
“But I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve she won’t know about yet.
“It will be good, she’ll say good luck to me, she’s amazing.” In other WDFNL A grade matches today, Panmure can make it three wins in a row when it plays high-flying Kolora-Noorat at Noorat.
Timboon Demons welcome Nirranda to Timboon while Dennington will want an improved start when it plays South Rovers at Dennington.
Russells Creek can cement its spot in the top five with victory against East Warrnambool at Reid Oval.