SA country netball’s top 20 players, coaches and administrators revealed
From veteran players and long-term coaches to administrative giants and tireless volunteers, we present our inaugural Country Netball Legends list. See who made the top 20.
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There are plenty of matches left in the River Murray Netball Association’s games record holder, Nicky Smith.
The mum of one, who began her career at Jervois Netball Club at the age of 13 in 1988, smashed the association’s record of 320 over a decade ago in 2008.
And Smith, who clocked her 450th game in April against Meningie, is still turning out in A Reserve.
“I live and breathe it,” said Smith, who made her A Grade debut as a 14-year-old.
Smith is one of 20 regional stars named in our inaugural Country Netball Legends list.
It aims to celebrate the contribution of the players, coaches, administrators and volunteers who form the backbone of the sport across the state.
The list follows our exclusive live stream of 101 games from last month’s Netball SA Country Championships.
Smith has collected 11 premierships during her illustrious career, including seven in-a-row in a golden run in the B Grade, while overcoming two ruptured Achilles tendons along the way.
However, her most memorable day was in 1999 when Jervois won all three senior grades.
“I’ve flittered in and around,” she said of her playing career, which has been mostly at centre or wing attack.
“I’m a bit of a shortie unfortunately, I wasn’t blessed with any real height (laughs).
“I’ve always loved playing. You go out there and you play as a team, they’ve got your back and you’ve got theirs.”
Mid Hills Netball Association servant of 64 years Dorothy ‘Dot’ Richter was another who picked her self for the list.
Few ex-country netballers could say they steered their local association to be the largest in the state, after hanging up the bib.
But that’s Richter’s claim to fame, who earned a life membership 40 years ago.
Her post playing career was perhaps foreshadowed from the late 1970s, when she began punching out playing programs on a typewriter for 15 years.
Richter, a Nairne Netball Club life member, also took up coaching during the decade, when her daughter, Robyn, started in the sport.
In fact, she was the only coach her other daughter, Lynette, ever had, including in an A Grade premiership victory in 1985.
One of her most treasured mementos was a windcheater with ‘Coach’ emblazoned on the front.
After retiring in the early 80s, ending a playing career which began in 1950 as a 12-year-old in the seniors as there was no junior program, she turned towards administration and became the association vice president in 1980.
When the treasurer quit, she took on that role too for 34 years and through sound financial guidance, Mid Hills became the state’s biggest country association.
Richter would have found a soulmate in Port Pirie netball legend and self-confessed “jack of all trades” Pam Ashman.
The association’s senior programme secretary for the past 30 years, Ashman took on the “mammoth task” of drawing up weekly guides involving 95 teams across 13 grades.
While team numbers have reduced to about 60, she still ensures local players know exactly where they’re playing and when and who is blowing the whistle.
Her painstaking work on a typewriter – it takes four or five hours to complete one weekly program – is then handed in to be reproduced on computer.
“I can’t use a computer,” Ashman said.
“They all laugh at me, but nobody else wants to do it.
“Last week, they said their computer had crashed – well, my pen and paper still work.”
When it came to considering legends still playing, it was hard to go past two Kapunda Netball Club sisters, who have enjoyed similar careers, while juggling children and work commitments.
Penny Chappell clocked up 400 games earlier this month for Kapunda in a win over Tanunda, just a few weeks before her sibling, Tab McKenzie, did the same thing.
Chappell, a mother of three, said the social aspect remained the constant lure dragging her back to the court, despite winning eight premierships in her time at the club.
“The mates that you play it with (is the important thing),” said Chappell, who has carved out a lengthy career at centre.
“It’s a good excuse to get out of the house.
“Playing in country towns, it’s pretty special to play sport with your best mates and your family.”
But netball could sometimes divide a family.
Ange Mann, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netballer of the Year in 1997, won back-to-back A Grade premierships with Kapunda in 2001 and 2002.
At that first decider, Mann’s mother sat courtside wearing the colours of both teams, as her other daughter was turning out for Gawler South.
Mann, who played over 300 A Grade matches, said her longevity was perhaps down to playing goal keeper.
“I didn’t have to run too much,” Mann said with a laugh.
“And I wasn’t prone to injury too.”
The accountant at Yalumba Winery said the “family feel” of country netball made it a sport like nothing else.
“We travel across the district for games, so it’s a family day out,” she said.
See who else made the cut for our country netball legends:
TOP 20 COUNTRY SA NETBALL LEGENDS
Astrid Aitken
Warriors Netball Club, Whyalla Netball Association.
Approaching 400 games as a player, Aitken has also coached three A Grade premierships and been named coach of the year three times (2015-17).
She has been a key part of the Whyalla Netball Association for four decades, either playing, coaching, working the gate or cooking scones.
Dorothy ‘Dot’ Richter
Nairne Netball Club, Mid Hills Netball Association.
Richter was involved with Mid Hills netball for more than 64 years, after her playing career began in 1950 at the age of 12.
She was also an A Grade premiership-winning coach and for 15 years and punched out playing programs on a typewriter.
She was made an association life member 40 years ago.
Deb Halse
Myponga Netball Club, Great Southern Netball Association.
Beginning her career in 1968 in Myponga’s H Grade, the self-confessed fitness fanatic played her 600th game for the club at the age of 62 in 2019.
Also an umpire and coach, she was presented with life membership in 2000.
Penny Chappell
Kapunda Netball Club, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
Ryan played her 400th senior game with Kapunda this month and has earned eight premierships in all, following a 30-year playing career.
Kelly White
Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor netball clubs, Great Southern Netball Association.
An association representative as a player for more than 12 years, White had banked 300 senior games by the age of 28.
She was also named in the Top 10 of players at the 2019 country championships.
White began her career at Strathalbyn at age 14, where she played more than 150 games.
Pam Ashman
Port Pirie Netball Association.
Ashman has been a loyal servant of Port Pirie netball for over 60 years – as player, coach and administrator – picking up life membership in 2001.
From the early 1990s, as the Senior Programme Secretary, she had the “mammoth task” of drawing up weekly programs spanning 95 teams across 13 grades.
The self-confessed “jack of all trades” still holds the position to this day.
Claire Moxham
Hills Netball Association.
The esteemed whistleblower is believed to be Ironbank Cherry Gardens Netball Club’s first to achieve the esteemed National B Badge, at the country championships, with only four current referees in the association attaining that level of accreditation.
Nancy Moulds
Uraidla Netball Club, Hills Netball Association.
A coach for more than 50 years, Moulds started off as a green 17-year-old and is still going as strong as she closes in on her 73rd birthday.
Jess Tamblyn
Crafers Netball Club, Hills Netball Association.
A multiple best and fairest winner and association representative, Tamblyn has played 300
games for Crafers in a career which began at age seven.
Jill Clifford
Loxton Netball Club, Riverland Netball Association.
A star player, Clifford won the association’s best and fairest eight times (1974, 76-80, 84 and 86) and represented Victoria at junior level.
She also sat on the association’s executive committee for several years.
Tracey Chandler
Western United Tigers Netball Club, Western Eyre Netball Association.
A premiership-winning player, coach and servant at committee level, Chandler played 370 games for the Tigers.
While president of the association, she also umpired A Grade matches.
Wendy Gambling
Riverland Netball Association.
A member of the association’s executive committee from 1969, and life member since 1980, the former president and now patron was made a Netball SA life member in 2000.
She has also promoted the league on local radio for more than 50 years.
Yolanda Cannizzaro
Gawler and District Netball Association.
Known as ‘Mrs Netball’ across the state and a Netball SA life member, Cannizzaro has been a loyal servant of the association since 1978.
A defender during her playing days, Cannizzaro was given a life membership in 1987 and became its patron in 2017.
Nicky Smith
Jervois Netball Club, River Murray Netball Association.
Smith played her 450th game in April this year and is still taking to the court.
With 11 premierships in her keeping, Smith is also a keen coach and guides the club’s under 15s.
Maxine Forby
Virginia Netball Club, Gawler and District Netball Association.
A life member of the Virginia Netball Club, Forby has served the association since 1971, including eight years as president. Bestowed with a life membership in 1991.
Forby was a regular fixture at country championship campaigns, either as a player, coach or team manager.
Judy Wittwer
Lutheran Netball Club, Gawler and District Netball Association
Over 25 years, Wittwer has been everything from a coach, manager, treasurer, umpire co-ordinator to canteen manager.
The current association treasurer and life member (earned in 2016), she was also a favourite among players when she donned the whites.
Pat Strathearn
Angaston Netball Club, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
An Angaston life member, Strathearn has been on the club’s committee for 45 years and still completes odd jobs around the club today.
Ange Mann
Willaston, Kapunda and South Gawler netball clubs, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
Mann played over 400 games at Willaston, Kapunda and South Gawler, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association, and was part of Kapunda’s back-to-back premiership teams of 2001 and 02.
Mel Schmidtke
Gawler Central and South Gawler netball clubs, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
Schmidtke, who has also been a club vice president, played nearly 400 games at Centrals and South.
Maree Appelkamp
South Gawler Netball Club, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
A life member of the club and association, Appelkamp has been involved with Gawler South for more than 50 years, after a playing career which began at age nine.
Her administrative service has included two stints as president and vice president of the association.
Jess Montgomerie
South Gawler Netball Club, Barossa, Light and Gawler Netball Association.
A coach, secretary and president for the haul, Montgomerie also played 228 games over an 18-year career.
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