“We were told we were out of the will if we ever got a tattoo!”
Catani netball president Angela Banbury couldn’t have been any more straightforward when explaining – albeit tongue in cheek – what would happen if she ever got ‘inked’.
The running joke was that her parents, Catani icons Ron and Beryl, wouldn’t stand for it.
But, suddenly, mid-last year, Beryl had a change of heart – ringing Angela from the Kooweerup pub one night after a game.
“If one of your two teams win a premiership this season, your father and I have decided we’re going to get a tattoo,” Beryl said.
Angela was the playing coach of the Catani B Grade side in the EDNA, and also the coach of the up-and-coming under-13s.
And history was made on the final day of the season in Yarragon when Angela won her first premiership after more than 450 games for the Blues.
In February, Beryl made good on her promise – even though Ron chickened out.
Instead, she took Angela along and they both got matching Catani premiership tattoos.
Beryl won three straight flags as Catani A Grade captain from 1958 to 1960.
And, along with Ron, she’s dedicated decades of her life to the club.
On AFL grand final day this year, during Seven’s coverage, the pair was named joint-winners of the Toyota AFL Community Football Volunteer of the Year award.
– Russell Bennett
