Kim Graetz is set to make her Hume League coaching comeback.
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After a five-year netball hiatus, Graetz has joined Culcairn as the club's newly appointed A-grade leader for the 2024 season.
The former Brock-Burrum, Murray Magpies and Rand-Walbundrie coach said her daughters Collins and Ellie inspired her to return to the helm once again.
"It's the love of my little girls that has brought me back to coaching," Graetz said.
"I needed a home for them to play netball. They're only nine and five, but they wanted somewhere to play and that brought me back out of retirement."
Despite not really having any previous ties to the Lions, Graetz said Culcairn just felt like the right fit.
"I was looking for a family friendly club," she said.
"I spoke to several other clubs and had teas with them to work out where would be the best place, and I settled on Culcairn."
Graetz takes the reins from Georgie Haines who took on the club's top netball job prior to the 2022 season.
On top of her Hume League credentials, Graetz played Ovens and Murray League netball with Lavington throughout her teenage years and enjoyed a coaching stint with North Wangaratta in the Ovens and King League.
She called time on her playing career whilst with Murray Magpies and also has umpiring experience.
An aspect of the game she's relished across the various clubs is witnessing the development of junior players.
"That development of players is the biggest thing I love to watch and it keeps you going as a coach," she said.
"What I love about watching girls play is the conversations at the start the year, and at the end of the year looking back on those goals and working out that we've really made a big difference, not only to them individually, but as a team, to achieve what we thought was impossible.
"Some of the teams that I've coached had never got to finals, and then all of a sudden finals were there and at their doorstep and achievable for them.
"Developing youth to be a strong A-grade, and therefore seeing it flow down to the rest of the club, is something I'm looking forward to doing."
The Lions finished this season in sixth position, bowing out to Howlong in the elimination final.
The club has also appointed Sam Russell and Bec Muller (B-grade), Del Taylor (C-grade) and Kaitlin Turvey (C-reserve) to the helm of the other senior grades.
Culcairn's pre-season training commenced last week.
"Having some brand new faces out there was really good to see," Graetz said.
