Broken ankle, but Katie feels no pain

By Jarrod Potter
KATIE Loynes, 25, returned from the Women’s National Championships battered and bruised but victorious as Victoria ran out comfortable winners over Western Australia in the final.
Loynes, who plays for Berwick in the Victorian Women’s Football League, injured her ankle in the final after impressing all week, but watched on as her teammates slammed on 11 goals to one in the second half to win the championship for Victoria.
Despite her injury, Loynes was happy to have played in the hard-fought championship and to play among the best female players in the country.
“It was great playing with the best girls in Victoria. I feel very honoured to put on the Big V,” Loynes said.
“The first game we played was against WA, who we also played in the final. They’re a very hard-hitting team and it was a very physical encounter. In the final we ended up kicking away in the final half and winning by about 80 points.”
Loynes was starring in the championships, listed in the best for her midfield work in multiple games, until she got injured in the final.
“I hurt my ankle in the second quarter and didn’t get much game time,” she said.
“I went to go and pick up the ball and a girl came over the top of me. My legs kind of gave way, and my right leg got caught under my body and I heard a few noises which weren’t very nice.”
“I fractured my fibula in the collision and will be out a minimum of six weeks, so it’s probably the end of my season.”
The appointment of Peta Searle, assistant coach at the Western Jets and five-time VWFL premiership coach with Darebin, as Victorian coach was a great boon for the team, according to Loynes.
“Playing under the best in Victoria under the coaching of Peta Searle, who was very successful at Darebin, was fantastic,” Loynes said.
“She coached us to put a lot of emphasis on a run-and-carry style of footy and to put a lot of physical pressure on the opposition.”
Loynes, a physical education teacher at Lyndhurst Secondary College, has been playing footy since 2004, and has reaped the rewards.
“I played in the 2009 state championships in Perth as well and that was a really great experience and thoroughly enjoyed it so I tried out again for the team this year and got in,” she said.
Loynes is encouraged by the attention women’s football is receiving in the media and the interest level growing within the community.
“Women’s football has grown so much in the six years I’ve been in it. There was a lot more media coverage during the carnival this time around, so it was great to see the sport gain attention,” she said.
When not representing Victoria, Loynes plays in the centre for Berwick, in the Victorian Women’s Football League’s (VWFL) Premier Division, alongside the new talent entering the ranks each year.
“We’ve got new girls coming into the Berwick team all the time. It’s always starting fresh, getting experience into the newest players. We’ve been trying hard, got a lot of young girls coming up, which is really great to see,” she said.
“Berwick is fifth at the moment. Hopefully in the next few matches we can sneak in and make it to the finals because we’re only a game out.”