LIV Cautley is happy she listened to advice which helped her pick a career path.
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The Gisborne-raised Cautley is studying nursing and midwifery at Warrnambool's Deakin University.
"I am a friendly-natured person I guess and I had no idea what I wanted to do coming out of high school and quite a few people suggested 'nursing would be quite a good thing for you Liv' and mum was like 'do midwifery as well'," she told The Standard.
"So here I am and I'm doing both. I absolutely love it. I am lucky I have fallen into a course I absolutely enjoy.
"I love both nursing and midwifery so I am not entirely sure which one I will go in to.
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"We have placement coming up soon. I have one month of placement - I have two weeks in Warrnambool (at the base hospital) and two weeks in Frankston which will be interesting."
Cautley's decision to pick Warrnambool for her four-year course proved a bonus for Hampden league netball club Port Fairy.
She had planned to play for the Seagulls in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to be cancelled.
The midcourter, 20, has played the first two games of 2021, helping the Seagulls to two consecutive victories.
Port Fairy might have missed out on the talented player - she represented Australia as a teenager in an international indoor netball tri-series - if not for a generous Warrnambool and District league club. "I heard there was two leagues - district and of course the Hampden," Cautley said.
"Russells Creek actually got in contact with me and with my playing history, they said 'maybe you'd be better off in the Hampden league'.
"They passed my stuff over to the Port Fairy team and here I am.
"All the girls are so welcoming and lovely so I've really loved playing for Port Fairy."
Cautley spent two weeks in South Africa with an Australian under 17 team in 2017.
"It was absolutely incredible and of course we got to experience the South African culture," she said.
Injuries then hit hard. She suffered knee problems including bone bruising and a hole in her cartilage.
"It's so nice to be back on the netball court," she said.
"I am trying my absolute hardest, getting my fitness back and getting back to where I was before my injury."
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