Christine Oguche is proof that you never quite know what's just around the corner.
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Completing a shift at Donut King, the 17-year-old thought it was like any other day, until a question opened up a new door.
"I was working one day and a lady called Kylie (Koschel) came up to me and said 'would you like to play netball?" Oguche said.
"I was actually in need of some physical activity, so I said yeah, sure. We were still in Covid and I didn't do any sport in that time, so I really needed to do something.
"I was always thinking about netball, so it was perfect."
That chance encounter saw Oguche become a Panther, joining Lavington's B-grade side for her first season playing club netball.
The rising star has since found herself playing against some of the state's best after recently receiving the opportunity to represent City West Falcons in an under-19s Victorian Netball League match.
"Again it was like a scouting thing," she said.
"Someone just texted me out of the blue and said do you want to play? I said yeah, sure.
"They said they would like me to keep coming for some training."
Standing at six foot four, the goal shooter admitted her height is an advantage on court.
Not only has the game allowed her to get back into sport, it's also helped her break down insecurities.
"Sometimes I have problems accepting my height, so netball has been something that lets me embrace it," she said.
"I feel like netball's a place where my height is really needed and loved."
Oguche has enjoyed not only getting to know her Panther teammates this season, but also players from across the league after representing the O and M's under-17 interleague side last month.
"It was amazing, it was a new team with lots of skilled players and coaches," she said.
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Coming into her first O and M season, she admitted she had some initial butterflies.
"I was really nervous and I didn't feel confident in my skills to do that," she said.
"A few pushes from the coaches saying I could helped."
Oguche admitted her basketball background has also come in handy.
"I've played a bit of basketball but I didn't really connect with it as much as netball," she said.
"From basketball I was pretty much a shooter, so I guess I just use that form in netball and it's working."
The sky now appears to be the limit.
"I'm happy to see where it goes," she said.
"The coaches always say to put yourself first and do what you can do."
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