Within her first year of netball in the Geelong District Football & Netball League, Sarah Kasparian from Corio is leading the Athlete’s Foot MVP count after Round 11.
As a tall goal shooter, Kasparian plays a vital role within her team as both a leader and a player, which has awarded her with 21 MVP points this season.
“You don’t play for these awards so I just go out there and do what I think is the right thing for everyone in that moment,” Kasparian said.
Sitting below Kasparian on the Athlete’s Foot MVP Leaderboard is Maddison McKiernan from Winchelsea and Ella Wasik from Belmont who are both tied at 17 points.
Despite the close competition, Kasparian remains selfless and team-focused during her games to ensure she’s putting her best foot on court for her teammates.
“I’d rather let myself down than let my team down. As long as I give it one hundred percent, I can walk away disappointed, but knowing I’ve given everything I’ve got,” Kasparian shared.
Whilst the MVP award itself recognises players for their individual performance, Kasparian is thankful for the ongoing support and trust that her team provides her with.
“Them having that faith in me gives me the confidence to trust myself, so when they trust me, I’m able to play the way I want to play with no pressure,” Kasparian said.
“When you’re calm and you feel no pressure, good netball just comes.”
Kasparian's journey to the top of the MVP leaderboard began long before arriving at Corio.
She grew up in Mount Gambier and would travel to and from South Australia each week in order to get involved in netball as much as she could.
“There weren’t a lot of netball opportunities in Mount Gambier, so Mum and Dad would drive five hours to Adelaide for trials,” Kasparian reflected.
“We would drive two hours sometimes just to play a game of netball. The travel was ridiculous.”
As she progressed with her netball, Kasparian was quickly admired as a player for her talent and ongoing commitment to netball.
“I went to the Country Championships in Adelaide in 2015 and got put into the top ten country netballers in South Australia. It was just incredible,” Kasparian said.
This recognition was just the beginning for Kasparian, as she later moved to Geelong in 2016 to continue chasing her netball goals and improving as a player.
Kasparian was a star player at both Geelong West St Peters and Modewarre, where she was the leading goal scorer in 2021 and 2022.
“It’s been a long journey, but it’s allowed me to live in the moment instead of overanalysing things,” Kasparian shared.
Last year, Kasparian took a year off from netball to focus on her family and career as a teacher, but couldn’t stay away from her passion for long.
“I was sort of semi-retired, but I feel like my netball has taken the next step this year,” Kasparian said.
“This year has opened my eyes that I actually do have more knowledge than I realised.”
Kasparian has scored 322 goals so far this season, giving her an impressive average of 24 goals scored per game despite her team having only won four games.
During a challenging season for the Corio A Grade netball side, Kasparian has appreciated the opportunity to guide her team and utilise her experience from many years of playing.
“They’re asking for my input, asking for my feedback and tapping into my experience as a player,” Kasparian said.
“It’s almost taken my netball to the next level because I’m contributing more than just what I do on the court.”
In a highly competitive season of netball, Kasparian has belief in her side and their ability to take on experienced netball sides.
Many of their matchups have been close, where they’ve convincingly defeated teams below them on the ladder but just come up short against those above them.
“The potential is amazing. We’re easily competitive with everybody and we have the ability to beat all of those teams,” Kasparian said.
“I think our starts were what has been letting us down, but we’ve worked really hard on playing a solid and consistent four quarters.”
This weekend in Round 12, Corio will take on East Geelong who only defeated them by a single goal in the season opener.
“To only lose by a goal was fantastic. Hopefully we can show the little bit of extra work we’ve done and get some redemption,” Kasparian shared.
“With the really good form that we’ve had over the last few weeks, I think we can really hit the ground running.”
As Kasparian looks forward to playing out her first season of netball with Corio, she is hopeful that her journey is only just beginning.
“I’m hoping to see out my career at Corio. I’d like to play for at least another two or three years, or as long as I can,” Kasparian said.
“There was a lady back home who was 75 and still playing netball. I’ve always thought, if she can do it, I can keep playing.”
As the leader of the Athlete’s Foot MVP Leaderboard and role model for her teammates at Corio, Kasparian doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon.
With such a strong and unwavering passion for netball, Kasparian hopes to continue her netball journey in any way that she can.
“I’d ideally like to go into a coaching role. I feel like my job as a teacher and my netball can really come together,” Kasparian acknowledged.
As for Corio, Kasparian has thoroughly enjoyed her first season with the club and appreciates how welcoming the community has been for her and her family.
“Corio reminds me of the club I grew up playing at back home,” Kasparian said.
“It really fills up my cup. I’m doing something that I love while being a part of a really good community.”
With just seven rounds remaining in the 2026 netball season and an MVP award within reach, Sarah Kasparian has a lot to play for, not only for herself but for her team at Corio.
