BO'C: Coaching with your sister Laura Irvine this season, how did that come about?

KC: We both have really young families, so we thought a collaborative approach was best. Something I've always struggled with is being a playing coach. It's really tricky to get right, to focus on your game and provide guidance for the team. It's good for Laura to be able to contribute to training and have that on court leadership, and for the team to have on and off court direction.

BO'C: You have a great contrast of youth and experience, how are the young players progressing?

KC: It's exciting and a challenge I'm enjoying, but we haven't had the whole team settle yet. Annalise has been overseas for eight weeks, Bec Carlyle has returned and myself and Laura are settling back into the team after some time out. We're finding our feet and looking at how we can get the dynamic right with these younger players. We want to develop their confidence to be good leaders on the court.

BO'C: Yarrawonga have had a lot of success, what is it that keeps everyone coming back?

KC: We pride ourselves on our depth and commitment from our players. That's enabled us to be successful over the long haul. We prioritise developing our younger players and try to give them good experiences so they cherish the memories and keep coming back. It all started back with Tracey Gillies who installed the vision she had about developing young players and Lauren Ramsdale is continuing that at the moment in our junior competition.

BO'C: Have injuries been a concern for you the last couple of years?

KC: I've hardly played any netball since 2013, that was my last season. I miss it desperately and would love to be on the court, but my body just hasn't cooperated. For us, it's about developing the young ones to own that wing defence position. We're getting that balance right of experience and youth so that we're not top heavy one way or the other. At the minute, for me, it's about managing my body and enabling us to try and find a system that works.

BO'C: How did you feel when you found out you were a part of the O and M team of 25 years?

KC: You don't play netball for personal acknowledgement, but to have the opportunity to reflect back on the last 25 years and see the other players that were nominated, I just thought, wow. As a kid I used to idolize them, and starting as a junior at Yarra, I would see them every week and think they're so amazingly skilled. To then be sitting beside them all was pretty awesome.