In her first season in Melbourne, the O and M’s dual Toni Wilson Medallist and reigning Roos’ best and fairest received the awards at the Victorian Netball League’s presentation last Sunday evening at The Berth Restaurant, Docklands.
“I was very surprised, especially as I missed the last two games of the year. It means a lot,” the star 24-year-old told The Free Press of her most prestigious awards to date.
“I’d rather a premiership, it’s something I’m going to strive to achieve. But getting these awards in my rookie year made it all worthwhile.”
Sophie played for City West Falcons in the state’s top league. She began the season in midcourt then moved to circle defence, being named as a defender in the Team of the Year.
Her versatility, endurance and read of play enabled the team to win plenty of the ball.
Corowa Rutherglen senior coach Georgie Bruce described Sophie as “a bloody jet!”. “I am so proud of her as is the whole community.
“It certainly takes courage to step outside your comfort zone and she’s been a champion in the Ovens Murray for many years now and took the risk this year to push herself and it’s paid dividends.”
Georgie referred to Sophie’s substantial sacrifice back home with her own training with the Roo girls which the team knew weighed heavily on her.
“The amount of miles she has done up and down the Hume Highway going to trainings and games, some nights not getting home until 1 o’clock in the morning was amazing,” Georgie said.
“Hopefully she can now relax and reflect back on this and take it all in and realise that yeah she’s got the X factor and the real potential here to push herself even further next year.”
It was Georgie who took Sophie, along with teammates Liv Sinclair and Zoe McLeish to a Falcons training session in 2012.
Sophie loved her time with the Falcons and will play with the Flacons again, next year. “I couldn’t have done it without support from Corowa and support from Falcons, who were very lenient with me.”
