Jane Cook shares her story as Shepparton goaler eyes off premiership three-peat

But unlike some Shepparton’s goaling extraodinaire knows how to use her height.

The Albury-Wodonga-born netball prodigy has been surgical under the ring for the Bears this season, also laying claim to the Victorian Netball League (VNL) Hot Shot Award with 852 goals.

She led the line for a premiership-winning City West Falcons and was rewarded for a champagne campaign alongside a number of Goulburn Valley League (GVL) stars.

“All season I just kept building on what Jacinta (Todd) and our coaching panel wanted, but felt like it was a good performance from myself,” she said.

“The past few seasons I had a few little niggles and injuries, I managed to keep on top of those this year, meaning I could stay on court when I was needed which allowed me to put a few extra goals through on that tally which was nice.

“We’re pretty stoked to go back-to-back for Falcons and a lot of our group have remained a core, which is nice to do that again.

“It was a huge game and it was pretty hard; I was exhausted after it and I know most of the girls were, so it took a lot of energy and effort to get the result.”

The VNL title is one of three flags earmarked on Cook’s calendar.

She takes off to Darwin to compete in the Australian Netball Championships next week with Collingwood Magpies and if that proves fruitful only one grail will be left.

The GVL title.

Shepparton has proved a late bolter this season, overturning a patchy start to startle some of the competition’s premier outfits and lock in finals netball ― and it has had a secret weapon to call on after reining in the services of a certain skyscraping goaler.

The road to Bears was a curious one in Cook’s case.

Cook was late to the party as a netballer, starting as a junior aged 13 before joining Wodonga Bulldogs in the Ovens and Murray League.

She’d remain a Bulldog from her mid-teens until her early 20s and it was at Martin Park where her success story truly began.

“My Falcons teammates will give me absolute flak for not saying my favourite premiership is with them, but it’s actually the premiership we won with Wodonga Bulldogs in 2015,” she said.

“We lost the year before and in our warm up our playing coach blew her ACL on the day and didn’t play.

“Despite all of that and despite throwing a very young and raw player into our midcourt who ended up getting player of the match, we won.

“It was against Yarrawonga and if anyone knows Ovens and Murray football netball you know Wodonga and Yarrawonga are true rivals.

“That will always be one of my favourite games I think ― plus the Falcons finals, of course.”

It was at Bulldogs where Cook’s love for the hustle and bustle of Saturdays on the court grew, feeding off the vibe country football and netball gives.

A self-proclaimed country girl at heart, could she have became a living legend at Bulldogs if she stayed? Absolutely.

But she was good. Too good.

Cook progressed into the state ranks where she first crossed paths with Shepparton’s A-grade coach Tracey Brereton.

Brereton was the Victorian side’s assistant coach, while Jacinta Todd served as apprentice mentor, and, although they’d stay in touch, they wouldn’t be able to coax Cook to Deakin Reserve.

Instead, the rangy goaler would have a crack at the big time.

Cook turned out for Victorian Fury (formerly Flames) in the Australian Netball League, later earning a contract with Suncorp Super Netball outfit Adelaide Thunderbirds.

She then spent a few years as a training partner at the Magpies ― Tasmania then Collingwood ― before getting a real run in the team.

Cook recently played club netball in the Geelong Football Netball League and that’s when Brereton and Todd came-a-calling.

“There’s always been that relationship (with Brereton and Todd),” Cook said.

“They’re both really great coaches, but even better people, so we’ve always stayed in touch whether they were at an opposition club or coaching at your club or whatnot.

“There was an opportunity to join Bears, I thought why not?”

Since throwing on Bears colours Cook has stuck out like a sore thumb.

She towers above all GVL defenders, but what’s more impressive is how lethal a shooter she is.

Cook shot at 97 per cent all season in the VNL and stats would reveal she’s a shade more accurate for Shepparton as her swivel and shot combination almost seems like a cheat code at times.

What a lot of it dials back to is a serious win in the genetic lottery.

“All my family is tall, my siblings are tall, both my grandfathers on both sides are 6’6’’ and 6’7’’, so bit of genetic throwback there,” Cook said.

“I’ve always just been that tall, lanky kid, but I guess it was more once I developed a bit of strength and co-ordination in the later teen years I learnt what I could do with my height for sport and how much of an asset that could be to a team.”

Cook has been able to combine her sports knowledge into her working field as a full time podiatrist, while away from courts and clinics she hangs out with her dog which keeps her “pretty entertained”.

Cook herself is an entertainment factory; those who’ve seen her would agree.

But the show isn’t over yet.

“I’d like to make it three ― VNL, Nationals and then Shepp would be a nice little three-peat,” she said.

“But finals is very different, you never know what could happen, so I think there’s still a lot of hard work to go in for the Bears girls and as a team.

“That being said, we knocked off top-of-the-ladder a month and a bit ago, so it can be done and I think the club, the coaches and the playing group know the ability and the skill they have.

“I certainly think we can take it to any of those top sides.”