Joanne Williams will umpire with her daughters in the Lavington-Wangaratta matches.

It’s the first time a mother and daughters have umpired in the same games in the league’s 25 seasons.

The 46-year-old will officiate the C grade clash with Larissa before completing A grade with Kelsie.

Nineteen-year-old Kelsie will then combine with Larissa, 17, in B grade.

“I hadn’t thought too much about it, but I suppose it’s a big achievement, not everyone gets to play sport with their children,” Joanne said.

“Netball is our sport on the weekend, so it’s a really special thing.”

And the day has the potential to be an emotional one.

“Maybe on my behalf, I’m not sure about my girls,” she laughed.

Joanne was a star player with Yarroweyah in the Picola league, playing in either defence or the midcourt.

A best and fairest with the club in 1989, the Cobram-based family then moved to the border nine years ago.

She stopped playing weekends with Dederang Mount Beauty in 2013, but still plays socially.

Joanne has played netball with Kelsie, but only ever played against Larissa.

“The girls have played netball ever since they’ve been allowed to and I’ve played all my life,” she said.

Joanne started umpiring as a teenager.

And it’s the same story with her daughters, Kelsie taking it up around the start of high school, while Larissa was slightly older.

Joanne says there’s a host of reasons for her passion of the sport.

“The enjoyment of watching all the girls on the court, how well they played, their teamwork and looking at great set play,” Joanne said.

“I sort of think to myself, ‘can I play like that or not’, you know, that sort of thing.”

And Joanne admits she’s had to hold herself back from a running commentary.

“Absolutely,” she laughed.

“I haven’t said it, but in my head, I’ve said it and then when we come to the breaks, with my fellow umpires, we’ll say to each other, ‘why didn’t she pass the ball to so and so, she was open’.”

Joanne says there’s a number of key components to being a strong and respected official.

“I suppose a good knowledge of all the rules, be polite with all the players and coaching staff,” she said.

“And you’ve got to be really invested on what’s happening out on the court, really block out everything else going on around you.

“You want to be seen as a nice umpire, you want the players to go away and say, ‘oh, she was a lovely umpire, you don’t want to be seen as the big bad wolf, absolutely.”

Lavington is unbeaten in A grade.