At 12 years old, Timmers, now 13, held her own when coming up against older and more experienced players as a bottom-age player in the Ovens and King League.
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Playing mostly as a goal defender and keeper, Timmers and the All Blacks finished their season with a record of 5-11 but continued to improve significantly as the season progressed, highlighted by the fact they won their final two games of the season.
“Our team went all right, we had some really good games and some okay ones,” Timmers said.
But the highlight of the season came midway through their campaign, with the All Blacks eventually beating eventual premiers North Wangaratta by two points in round 11.
With a boost in confidence and another year of experience under their belt, the young Panthers are well placed to surge up the ladder in 2020.
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Timmers said greater consistency would be the key to stronger results for the Panthers, and backed her team in to raise the bar ahead of their opening round encounter with Whorouly on March 28.
“Most of the girls are coming back, so my goal is to make finals,” Timmers said.
“That would be awesome.”
Timmers’ development as netballer has continued since she first took to the court from as young as nine, and last season spread her time across two teams, as well as a domestic side.
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Along with her commitments to the All Blacks, Timmers lined up as a member of Benalla Netball’s under-13 representative squad, Fire, where she helped her side take out first place in the Echuca Tournament. And in a string of strong performances over the year, Timmers’ team would go on to just miss out on a number of other grand final appearances by two goals or less.
Capping off the year, Timmers, along with her Fire teammates, received invitations to trial for the 2020 Bendigo Academy of Sport's North East Netball Program.
Timmers was full of praise for her coaches last season, in All Blacks’ Erin Matthews and Benalla Netball’s Courtney Sammon, who she said had helped her "improve a lot".
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While netball is Timmers’ number one priority going forward, the Cathedral College student is also hoping to lace up the boots for the Wangaratta Rovers under-14 football team this year.
But whatever territory Timmers takes her sporting talents to in 2020, expect to see her dominate in defence.
● Caitlin Timmers is nominated for the 2019/20 Delatite Junior Sportstar.
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