IT is a family affair at Meringur netball club this year with five mother-daughter pairs registered for the 2021 season.
Under 17s coach and B Grade player Emma Astill said some of the mothers were responsible for “sucking in” their daughters and some daughters roped in their mothers.
“It’s a bit of both,” Astill said.
“All the mums are somehow involved in coaching at the club and their daughters are playing in the juniors team we have.
“We’re regenerating after COVID-19 but the club for a very long time has tried to push that family atmosphere.
“I think this comes along with that as well.”
Astill said you could easily tell Meringur was a family club.
“We keep an eye out for everyone else and make sure everyone’s OK,” she said.
“My family’s been involved with the club since it was started basically, so I don’t really have a choice, I have to play there … but I stay because of that atmosphere.
“Everyone’s so inclusive and really caring of each other.
“If you go to the footy everyone keeps and eye out for everyone else’s kids, and will take them to the canteen if they need lunch and stuff like that.
“A lot of the clubs are similar in that they try to cultivate that community of people … that if you need help doing a job around the club you can go and ask people because they want to be involved.
“Everyone’s there to be a part of something, be involved and do what they can to make the club better.”
Astill said three of the mothers, from the mother-daughter pairs, came along to the club because their children played netball and they decided to help out.
“Whereas my daughter plays at Meringur because I’ve played at the club for a very long time,” she said.
“Another mother and I played our own junior netball at the club so our daughters followed us into it as well.”
