By RUSSELL BENNETT
KARLA Brook might just be the youngest person in the Ellinbank and District Netball Association to reach the 200-game milestone.
Still just 16-years-old, she’s certainly the youngest at the Cora Lynn Netball Club.
She took to the court for her 200th on Saturday morning in D Grade against Nar Nar Goon, and then backed it up for her 201st in the Cobras’ A-Grade game – alongside older sister Emily – that afternoon.
“It felt good to win for my 200th, and I guess it did feel different,” Karla told the Gazette.
“I definitely wanted to play my best.”
Karla also plays the game she loves at the Victorian Netball League (VNL) level, in addition to her commitments at the Cobras.
Last year she was training as many as four times per week and playing every second day. That has tapered off somewhat now, and that’s probably for the better.
At just 16, she’s already a five-year veteran of the sport in which her mother Rebecca also excelled.
“I take after both mum and dad and follow in their footsteps,” said Karla, whose dad Wayne was a multiple best-and-fairest winner at the Cora Lynn footy club. Her brother Corey also currently plays at the club.
Karla has already won four best-and-fairest awards in her own right at Cora Lynn, plus a couple at representative level.
She spent time at both goal defence and centre on Saturday morning, but Karla says it’s not about the position – it’s about beating whatever direct opponent she comes up against.
“Opponents like Grace Cunningham (Nar Nar Goon) and Taylah Roberts (Bunyip) make me play better,” she said, adding that her biggest on-court strength was just that… her strength.
She’s also got a great ability to read the play, which was obvious to anyone who saw the Cobras take to the court on the weekend.
But she’s also her own harshest critic.
“It wasn’t that great today, but most of the time it’s pretty good,” she said on Saturday.
Karla enjoys the challenge of the physicality of A-Grade netball, and keeping up with the increased speed of the game.
She said the secret is not going too hard in the warm up and conserving her energy for game-time.
Karla aims to one day be selected for the Victorian under-21 team and potentially even the Vixens.
Her under-17s team last year fell just a goal shy of grand-final glory, and that’s a box she still wants to tick off. Her fitness is something she’s constantly working on too, but when it comes to netball role models she doesn’t have to search too far.
“Watching Emily in her junior years is what made me come to Cora Lynn in the first place,” Karla said.
“She played in her under-13’s team and I’d just sit on the bench every game and watch her.
“I was 10-years-old, sitting there watching my sister play and thinking to myself I really want to do this.”
