By Henry Milic
Accomplished midcourter Laura Scherian donned the pink dress for the first time as she stepped on court for the Adelaide Thunderbird’s epic Round One win over the Queensland Firebirds.
The season opener was a historic night, seeing three debutants take to court, including Scherian who became Thunderbird #110.
Despite pre-game nerves, Scherian said she was proud to be out there in front of a home crowd.
“It was really special to be out there, I haven’t had to debut in a long, long time and I was quite nervous but also really excited,” Scherian said.
“The Adelaide Thunderbirds have an amazing supporter base and I felt welcomed into the team and into the stadium and I was proud to be out there.
“I’m enjoying living in Adelaide as well, there is a lot to see and do, I have had a lot of family and friends come down and enjoy it as well and it has been fantastic for my netball.”
Lightning to Thunder
Scherian has spent the last seven years playing for the Sunshine Coast Lightning, having won back-to-back premierships in her time with the club.
Now, the 35-year-old will lace up against old teammates as the Thunderbirds take on the Lightning in Round Three this weekend.
“I have so many fond memories throughout my netball career with the Sunshine Coast Lightning, but they are also the club that broke my heart so I don’t know how I will feel when I step out there,” Scherian said.
“I have a lot of pride putting on my pink dress and running out with these girls.
“The experience so far, here in Adelaide has been amazing for me on and off the court and I’m loving it.
“I feel like I’m learning so much, especially defensively, and I’m just enjoying the challenge of working with new players as well.”
With the likes of Diamonds’ captain Liz Watson lining up in the Lightning’s midcourt, Scherian said she looks forward to taking on the challenge.
“Mahalia Cassidy and Liz are extremely strong players and extremely versatile through their mid court like we are,” Scherian said.
“I think we will just have to look to our strengths and be creative with what we do in our attack end, so I’m really excited about the challenge.”
Life off the court
Scherian’s passion for the game of netball transcends beyond her on court heroics, as she dedicates her time by giving back to the next generation of players.
Having head coached a school netball team on the Sunshine Coast for the past four years, Scherian said she strives to encourage young girls to keep playing sport.
“I’m super passionate about teaching, especially females between the age of 13 and 18, I want to keep them playing sport and encourage them to enjoy it,” Scherian said.
“I really enjoy coaching that age group and being involved at a school level so I’m hoping I can bring that to Adelaide as well.”
Another one of Scherian’s passions away from the court resides in cooking, a skill that she picked up from her Nanna.
“I love cooking, my happy place is definitely in the kitchen, it’s where I’m most at home because I love cooking for others and sharing food with others,” Scherian said.
“It all started with my Nanna, she was a great cook and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with her, so I credit it her for a lot of my recipes.
“Whenever I’m feeling anxious, nervous or not in a good mood I just get in the kitchen and cook something, and it turns me right around.”
More to give
With four international caps and two national championships to her name, Scherian has achieved the game’s highest accolades throughout her career.
However, despite her many successes, Scherian said she has plenty more to give.
“At this stage of my netball career, it’s about enjoying it and looking at what I can contribute to the club, on and off the court,” Scherian said.
“I think when this opportunity came up, lots of people said ‘why aren’t you just retiring and finishing’, but I have three things that I look at to see when I’m ready to retire.”
“One of them is physically, am I able to do it, second is, am I enjoying it and the third is, do I still have something to contribute to the team that I’m with.
“I couldn’t say no to any one of those things yet so I’m up for the challenge and I want to keep playing.”
