Queenscliff’s Kaitlin Gladman on her ACL injury, Coutas’ flag hopes among horrid injury run

Hours separated Queenscliff sisters Kaitlin and Olivia Gladman’s seperate season-ending knee injuries - as the former’s A-grade squad looks to push on from a horrid run of injuries.

Queenscliff's Kaitlin Gladman in action earlier this season before her ACL injury. Picture: Alan Barber

Just hours separated Queenscliff sisters and netballers Kaitlin and Olivia Gladman’s respective ACL injuries.

Older sister Kaitlin had watched on in horror when Olivia was struck down with a left ACL tear in a C-grade clash last month.

Queenscliff goal attack Kaitlin Gladman earlier this season. Picture: Mark Wilson

But what the A-grade co-captain didn’t know at the time, was she’d go down with the same exact injury in her own fixture against Torquay later that afternoon.

“It’s awful to see anyone go down, but then seeing your sister just makes it worse,” Gladman, 22, recalled of their May 31 injuries.

“Prepping for my game, I was trying to keep my mind off it, but I think it was in the back of my head.

“Then when I went down, you think the worst but hope for the best, but unfortunately it wasn’t.’

While Olivia, 20, recalled more of a twisting motion to her ACL injury, Kaitlin’s – which also occurred to her left knee – was as innocuous as they come.

“Mine was just like any other landing I’ve done a 100 times – it was nothing out of the ordinary,” Gladman said.

Though it was the first time both sisters had been dealt the ACL blow – their family history, with dad James doing two ACLs in his time playing football for the Coutas, and mum Ange Monahan also sustaining the injury as an A-grader at the club, may well have come into play.

But while Olivia will wait until after an overseas trip to get surgery, Kaitlin is determined to get back on court as soon as possible, with surgery booked in for a few weeks time before she tackles her rehab head on.

Coutas’ show of resilience

Kaitlin’s season-ending injury is a bitter blow for both herself – a two-time A-grade league medallist – and her Coutas, as they strive to dislodge Ocean Grove and Geelong Amateur from their mantle as the Bellarine’s elite.

In fine form to start the year, Gladman had shot 194 goals at 82.91 per cent efficiency – the goal attack still in the league’s top 5 goalers after 10 rounds despite missing the last two fixtures.

A series in injuries, with Kaitlin’s fellow co-captain Laura Cayzer (calf) also out for the season and defensive recruit Caitie Kennedy sidelined with a fractured elbow, is testing the Coutas’ depth, with all three injuries coming from the same round 8 game against the Tigers.

But the Coutas haven’t let their run of injuries define them, banking 10-and 20-goal wins over Barwon Heads and Anglesea since in a huge statement of resilience.

“All the injuries have been so devastating, but the team and club have just got around us so much,” Kaitlin said.

“The girls (on the court) have been so strong, and we’ve got so much depth in our team this year, and they’ve been able to go out there and just play our game despite the setbacks we’ve had.”

Queenscliff coach Jane Searle says the Coutas aren’t “playing for second best.” Picture: Alan Barber

Goal shooter Phoebe Knox has been a handy pick up for Queenscliff, as has defender Jess Rankin after both had seasons away from the game, while Alex Booker joined from GFNL powerhouse Newtown & Chilwell, with the VNL talent a versatile option as a goal attack-wing attack.

Tess Orvis – the Coutas’ leading goal shooter last year – has missed the start of the season after welcoming a child, but is one the Coutas will hope to get back in the latter stages of the season, while Searle has brought up a handful of B-grade talent, including Hayley Holmes and Sienna Bruhn, in recent weeks.

“We’ve got quite a versatile team … we’ve got flexibility in our attack and defence end,” Searle said.

“Not only that, we have a great team spirit at Queenscliff too, so we all get behind each other and it really shows on the court, it’s great to be part of.”

Queenscliff's Ebony Rolph takes an overhead grab in a flying leap against Anglesea on the weekend. Picture: Alison Wynd

Queenscliff's Phoebe Knox shoots under pressure against Anglesea. Picture: Alison Wynd

Finishing their past two home-and-away seasons in third, before bowing out in a prelim and semi final respectively, Searle felt the Coutas had made strong gains on the competition’s two benchmark teams, Ocean Grove and Geelong Amateur, this season.

“I think we’re more than capable of going a long way, and our aim is to win it, we’re not playing for second best,” she said.

“We still want to have a big impact and see how far we can go.

“I think we’ve been closer to the top teams than we’ve ever been as well, so we’re really well placed to have an impact.”

Kaitlin, who will continue to play an off-court role at trainings and games as she rehabs her injury, is backing her teammates to continue to strive to make it to this year’s grand final.

“We were obviously aiming for that, and still are, hoping to take it the next step this year,” she said.

Barwon Heads’ Kimberley Hart in action before her knee injury. Picture: Alan Barber

Spate of injuries shock league

The Gladman sisters aren’t the only ones in the Bellarine struck down by season-ending knee injuries.

Modewarre goal shooter Laney Mcfadyen, Drysdale trio Maddison Connally, Amaylia Taylor and Lani Puttyfoot, and Kim Hart at Barwon Heads are among those currently sidelined with the devastating injury across the BFNL’s A-grade competition.

Geelong Amateur recruit Kim Hammond also suffered a meniscus-related knee injury in round 1, but has since returned after missing six rounds.

It appears only the tip of the iceberg though, with the horrid injury not just reserved for the best in A-grade – but like Olivia, right through the lower ranks as well.

“I was speaking to Laney at Modda, and she said she was the third (at the Warriors) that’s done her ACL,” Kaitlin said.

Originally published as Queenscliff’s Kaitlin Gladman on her ACL injury, Coutas’ flag hopes among horrid injury run