Whittlesea’s Tara Watson wasn’t expecting the call up to be a Melbourne Vixens training partner for next year’s Suncorp Super Netball.
Coming off her first season in the Victorian Netball League championship division, Watson showed why she’s one of the rising midcourters in the state.
Having been part of several state teams through the junior ranks, Watson was part of the Vixens squad for the reserves competition this year.
Despite this, Watson didn’t realise what was about to come.
“I had been contacted by Di Honey, the assistant coach at the Vixens, to organise a meeting just to talk about my future sort of thing,” she said.
“I didn’t think much of it cause I was part of the reserves program this year so I thought that was what it might have been about.
“Then she let me know that they had an opportunity to be a training partner.”
Watson, who has started pre-season training with the Vixens, said it was a pretty surreal experience to be training with some of her idols.
She said this was the next step in her netball journey.
“I think training all the Vixens under Di and Simone [head coach] being exposed to the professional environment,”she said.
“I think just learning from professional athletes… Hopefully one day if I do make it to SSN, I’m prepared and know what the go is.”
Watson said the experience in the Melbourne Vixens reserves had helped her prepare for the next level up.
She felt as the games went on, she was more at home on the court.
“I think for me this year it was a big step up,” she said. “The year before I was part of the squad but I wasn’t in the team, so I didn’t actually play.
“To take to the court this year was a big step up and I felt the experience was overall so good, exposing us to the environment that the Vixens are in.
“I think that will help with the transition into the Vixens environment.
Watson, who still lives in Whittlesea, makes the trek into Melbourne several times a week for her netball.
She said it isn’t that bad and the trip home relaxes her.
Watson is back in full training after a stress fracture ended her VNL campaign with the North East Blaze.
She said this year was exciting as she played in the championship division for the first time.
“Ït was very disappointing, we were going so well,” she said of the injury. “I was loving every game… Having so much fun, when it happened I was shattered.
“It was very exciting, a big step up from what I was used to.
“I learned so much from Kate [Upton] and it was a really fun season.
Watson said there would be a lot of training now with pre-season underway.
Long term, Watson wants to keep progressing through the ranks.
“Ever since I was little I said I wanted netball to be my job,” she said. “I want to make it as far as I can.”
