Well, I thought I had it under control. 6 months and then I would go back. Unfortunately, I found myself agreeing to fill in for a few superleague games. Then I found myself agreeing to join a superleague team. Now I’ve been asked to join a Monday night A grade ladies team, and have the feeling I will be agreeing to that. So where has all of it gotten me? No where. All I need is one Thursday night team and I’ll be back where I was 3 months ago.

Since I started filling in for my friend for her inhouse teams I found I had begun enjoying the games again. Towards the end of last year I began really dreading the games, trying to make excuses on why I shouldn’t play that night. The one thing that I always swore not to do was to be a burden to my team. I wanted to be loyal, and dependable. But I wasn’t anymore. So I quit.

Filling in every so often has been fantastic. Although my first couple of games back I was getting REALLY frustrated. I couldn’t move my feet, I wasn’t watching the ball, I was doing everything wrong. Kimba could sense my mood and came over to give me words of encouragement. “Just keep moving your feet,” she said. “It will assist you to take that extra step.” Tried it tonight and it worked (thank god). It was about time I played some decent netball. So thanks Kimba!

So now I’m stuck with a dilemma. Do I go back on my original plan and return to netball early? Or do I say no to Megan for now, wait the final 3 months and hope that there’s room on a team for me in the future. Mat didn’t want me to play, but I think that’s only so that I’m home to cook him some dinner…grr…

Well, you might all be shocked to know that I’ve given up netball. Not permenantly, just for 6 months or so. The reasoning behind this sudden change is motivation and money. It’s not that I couldn’t afford it, it’s just that I was paying $120 a month to play in 3 teams (aka 3 games a week) and wasn’t enjoying it anymore. I started taking it seriously, and letting people get to me. So wushka, I’m outta there. And I wonder now if I really needed to go all or nothing, but I think for the short term it’s been good to just have no commitments during the working week.

Technically I haven’t played in my team for a month. But last week I got a call from Nic saying they had qualified for the semi finals and didn’t have anyone other than myself eligible to play. You must have played in 5 games throughout the season to be registered for finals. Thus, she asked if I wouldn’t mind playing another game. I rocked up only to find out that as it was, we were still a player down. We played against Adam’s team in the semi’s, and while there was the usual controversy during the game, we managed to come out on top by about 5 goals. And as Jase kept pointing out, they were on their way back.

Last night was the grand final, we were still a player down, and we were taking on “Bite Me”. One of their players (nicknamed Bubbles) used to play for my team, until he convinced his mates from the Maroochydore indoor centre to come play at Kawana. Good move, because they were bloody competitive.

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It started off as an “exciteable discussion” on whether we wanted to go or not, and we decided we would. It ended at 1.30am in Mooloolaba eating pizza, with mates. It was the Superleague netball awards, and I was lucky enough to come off with a victory. A completely unexpected victory.

We arrived at Caloundra RSL early so Mat and I headed off to the bar to get a drink each. He started his bourbon campaign while I had a “Strawberry Cocktail” which was really just a fire engine with a strawberry on the side. We didn’t really want to go into the function room yet as there wasn’t many people there that we normally chat to. So we just sat outside having a drink. After about twenty minutes or so we decided we would venture in, and thank god Adam, Chere, Erin and Jase had arrived.

After loads of finger food which we all hungrily tucked into (including Adam – you know that scene where Homer Simpson has all the waiters around him and he eats from all their plates?? Well no, Adam’s not like that. I thought I would just throw that in. Rather than get one item, Adam tends to get a stockpile) it was time for the awards. Chere had already told me that Adam was guaranteed an award, so when they said they would start with the Mix C netball team I got my phone out ready to take a photo of Adam’s face when they called him. And instead?

“The winner of Mix C is Kelly O’Brien”.

Have you ever seen the Academy awards where someone is just too shocked to even move? Well that was me. Because when they said that, I was like “what the fuck? Me? Huh? Are you serious!?” My coach was sitting at the table in front of me and turned around and was like “Yeah!! You!!” So after what felt like ages I found myself walking down to the front and accepting the award. And yes, like a big sook I had watery eyes. Oh, and I remembered to go over and give my coach a hug and a kiss on the cheek to say thanks too. But I never, ever saw that coming. Ever.

Awards continuing on, one of the very last speeches from a coach (Tony) was to the Mens B team which he said ” I had a great time coaching you all, you were all great guys except for Adam. He really shits me. So the rest of you, thanks very much.” Adam returned the love with a curse in Tony’s direction. (I should point out here that Tony is very very short, Adam is very very tall, and they both constantly take the absolute piss out of each other. I have never heard them say anything nice between each other, but I think there’s a LOT of respect there). Anyway, after that the very next award was “most improved player”. Told that this person had to be conned to play superleague, was dead set against it but by the end of the season you would never have realised it was the same person, and who was it? Adam!! But boy does he deserve his award!!

So anyway, after that it was party on until about midnight where Erin, Jase, Adam, Chere, Mat and I all headed to Mooloolaba for coffee (everywhere was shut) that turned into Pizza. We saw some fat little “king of the kids” kid threaten the worker at Dominos for calling the police on him. The manager at Dominos was afraid to even leave to go to the toilet, so that wasn’t on. The police came but the fat kid had taken off, but after they left he returned. As we were walking back to our car the police pulled up to the Servo so Adam took off and told them where the fat kid was, and they immediately flew over to “chat” with him. We left it there, had pizza in the park and then returned home.

**last notes**
Reason I got my award from my coach was because I never complained, if she asked me to sit off I would happily without whinging, that no matter where on the court she put me I did my job, that she put me at WD and I did it, then she put me as GA and I excelled. She said I absolutely deserved it, and everyone she spoke to agreed.

*wipes tear away* I’m so lucky!

Today I’m in pain. I couldn’t make my breakfast because I thought it would be a risk to my personal safety. Instead, I stumbled into the latest BP (where I bought a groovy car thermos) and requested a coffee. The lady looked at me with pity, and said “do you need something to eat as well?” It was clear – both the lady and I knew that I needed something to wake me up.

A hot cappucino and a ham and cheese croissant later, I’m continuing my drive to work. My toes are cramped, my thighs are sore, and my arms hurt to move. Finally, I’m at work typing this into my blog, and I’m starting to function a little bit better – that coffee sure is helping!! (but maybe that’s just psychological). And what is the cause of all this pain, you ask?

I played netball from 6pm – 9.45pm last night – 4 games (2xA grade!!)

OWW!

Woooo! Player of the Match in A Grade Ladies last night – I was filling in for my friend Chere. Free drink, here I come!