ONE of the stars of White Hills' back-to-back HDFNL A-grade premierships in 2018-19, Ash Gilmore will line up for Eaglehawk in the BFNL in 2020.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The classy goal shooter returns to the club where she played a pair of games alongside her sister Abby in the Hawks' last premiership season in 2012.
Her move to Canterbury Park will give the Hawks one of the Bendigo league's strongest goal pairings as she teams with BFNL inter-league representative Abbey Ryan.
Gilmore, who did not play netball in between her previous short stint at Eaglehawk and her arrival at White Hills in 2018, said the want to test herself at the top level of netball in central Victoria was behind her decision to head to the BFNL and believed the timing was now right.
"Last season I was thinking about it. I love White Hills and the last two seasons there have been amazing, but I thought if I don't do it now - I just turned 34 - I'm going to be old to do it," she said.
"My own kids (Blake, Evie and Lachy) are getting to an age, where their sport is going to take over soon, so I really only have a few more years of 'me time'. So I thought it was now or never.
"And I feel I had a little bit of unfinished business with Eaglehawk because I did try and play with my sister (Abby) years ago and I only made it to round two with the injury.
"I feel it would be a good way to finish."
Gilmore's previous season at Eaglehawk ended prematurely when she sustained a severe knee injury in the Hawks' round two clash against South Bendigo.
Eaglehawk would go on to defeat Sandhurst in a thrilling grand final 31-30.
"My sister threw me up a lob and no one was around me at all and I didn't really need to jump, but I did and I came down and did my ACL - medial and lateral - so I did a really good job of it," Gilmore explained.
"I was done for the rest of the year and the girls ended up winning the flag that year, which was great for the club and great for the girls.
"But it was hard sitting back and watching."
Gilmore, whose background is in basketball and spent several seasons in the Western Australian State Basketball League (SBL) and also the former SEABL competition, said netball was something she had not seriously considered taking up until joining White Hills during the 2018 pre-season.
"It's been amazing coming back into it ... it's pretty much the local sport for women here," she said.
"You meet a great bunch of girls, plus the footy club behind it. I know the culture at White Hills was real family-oriented, and I'm expecting the same here at Eaglehawk.
"The girls at Eaglehawk have been really friendly and warming and (coach) Allira (Holmes) has been amazing."
The Hawks kick-started pre-season on Tuesday night this week and will be looking to build on last season's third placing, highlighted by finals victories over Gisborne (fourth) and South Bendigo (fifth).
It was their best finish to a season since the last premiership win.
While still getting acquainted with her new team-mates, Gilmore said she was particularly looking forward to combining with the likes of star goal attack Abbey Ryan and reigning Betty Thompson medallist Ashley Ryan, and the challenge of stepping into a new league.
She was also proud to be continuing her netball at the club where her father is a football life member.
"I am really looking forward to the season, it's really exciting. I'm a little bit nervous too, but that's healthy," Gilmore said.
"I've only met the girls a couple of times but I would say the feeling around the club is that they would definitely like to improve on last year's third.
"Obviously playing (at White Hills last season) on the same day and at the same time, I don't know to much about the (BFNL) league.
"I did make it to the grand final and that was great to watch. It's definitely going to be challenging coming from White Hills and the HDFNL."
Gilmore was eager to praise White Hills, her former coach Lauren Bowles and club-mates for an amazing past two seasons ahead of her newest netball test.
"I already miss them and will definitely be heading back to watch them when I get the chance," she said.
"Loz (Bowles) has done an amazing job with the club and is just a fantastic coach and person. It was a really hard decision to leave, but Loz was amazing about it all and has told me I am always welcome back.
"I've caught up with all the girls since the season ended and I love the club. It will always be a special place for me winning back-to-back flags, which is a pretty rare thing to do."
READ MORE:
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.