Laura Lawn is a Kat through and through.
How else could you describe someone who has spent their entire two-decade playing career at Katandra Football Netball Club?
In a decorated career where she has played in multiple junior and senior premierships and won numerous personal accolades, Lawn notched her latest achievement at the weekend.
Lawn took to the court for her 200th senior game for Katandra on Saturday afternoon, with the Kats earning a seven-goal win over Katamatite to help mark the occasion.
“I wasn’t nervous, just really excited and really proud,” Lawn said about how she felt before the big game.
“I have played all my netball at Katandra. I have been heavily involved, being on the committee for 14 years and I am in my 10th year as secretary.
“It is a real privilege, I’m really proud. I’m just really grateful and would like to thank all the volunteers that make it happen.
“Volunteers are a bit of a dying breed and it is nice for people to know what goes on behind the scenes. What goes into making clubs run on match days.
“I am just so thankful to volunteers and communities in country sport, there is nothing better.
“It is a close-knit community. The club itself is multi-generational and it is like one big family, we all look out for each other, and those friendships are what you do it for, really.”
Lawn was greeted by a guard of honour and a banner emblazoned with the words “Congrats Laurzy 200 games” before the game, with her sons Carter and Harvey and daughter Della running through the banner alongside her.
“Having my three kids with me was unreal,” Lawn said.
“It is nice to set a good example and I get really excited about the next generation coming through. That was a real honour.”
In a career that has spanned more than a quarter of a century, Lawn said an A-grade grand final victory and last-second game winner were among two of her favourite memories.
“The 2013 premiership up at Rennie against Tungamah was a standout. I’d had a really good year and a really good finals series,” she said.
“I had a kid (Carter) at the time and there is something more special about it when you are a mum. It is a challenge to get to training and commit to sport, so that was a really rewarding grand final.
“In 2008 I shot the final goal on the siren to win by one. That was probably one of the most nail-biting wins.”
With 200 senior games under her belt and many, many more junior games on top of that, the “smiling assassin” as she is affectionately known said there were a few more achievements she would like to tick off.
“I would love to play with Della, definitely,” Lawn said.
“I still consider myself pretty fit. Della is six, so I would have to go another 10 years, which is a bit ambitious, but you can have these dreams.
“A premiership this year with all three kids there would be amazing.
“I got one in 2016, but I was pregnant with Della at the time, I would love all three to be able to see me win a flag, that would be pretty cool.”
With Katandra’s A-grade side off to a strong start this season, a premiership in 2023 is certainly a possibility.
The Kats currently boast an impressive 6-1 win-loss record and are in the midst of a five-game winning streak.
“There is a good vibe this year,” Lawn said.
“We have a new coach, Renee Morris, and Kendall Judd is in the goal ring as a new recruit.
“There is a good mix of experience and youth with really good friendships among us. I feel like we have lots of positivity and lots to get excited about this year.”