SOUTH Football Club’s Shae Nevill played her 150th game on Saturday, marking 13 seasons at the club.
Nevill has been at the club since the formation of the women’s side when she was just 15.
“For me growing up, you could play until you were 12,” she said.
“I’ve always been really passionate with whatever I do, and so my parents were wary of me playing footy up until I was 12 and then being heartbroken I couldn’t play anymore.”
To fill the gap left by not being able to continue with football, she turned to soccer for a few years, before hearing that a competition might be starting up.
“There was this talk around town about competition starting up,” she said.
“So me, loving footy, was just like alright, hands up.”
She began training and said that it was up to players to nominate the side they hoped to play for.
“There was a sheet of paper where you nominated which club you wanted to play for,” she said.
“I went to Broken Hill High School, which was very much not a South footy club school.
“So there was only two students in the school I think who wanted to play for South.”
Nevill said she’d grown up in South Broken Hill and her dad sponsored the club, so it was the right decision to make.
“I had a connection to the club,” she said.
“When the team formed though, we barely had enough people to make up a team.”
Training and competition football became her life, she said.
“I just loved the sport, I loved footy. I’d go to training and the games and that was it,” Nevill said.
All four women’s sides began at the same time, so it took a few seasons for the teams to hone their skills.
“Men had the advantage of growing up playing footy and developing it from as young as four,” she said.
“So there was a build up and obviously a period of time developing skills.”
Nevill said despite having played for so many seasons, she can’t see herself getting sick of football any time soon.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to get sick of footy,” she said.
“I’ve become really invested in the social side of the club, it’s sort of become my turn to be a senior player, and I want everyone to experience what I’ve experienced.
“So I dived into organising things socially, sort of leading as best I could to ensure that everyone was enjoying the club.”
Nevill was club captain from 2019 until last year, and said stepping down from the role this year was a difficult decision to make.
“It was a hard decision because I’m so invested in the club,” she said.
Her 150th game saw her play against Central Football Club on Saturday, after winning the first two rounds against West and North.
South won with a 36 to 31 full time score.
Nevill said she was thrilled with the win for her 150th game.
“It was the most special day,” she said.
“I felt so loved and I am so grateful to everyone!”
