The AYC Netball Club was the brainchild of Michelle Blom and the late Jane Robinson whose aim was to offer members of the AYC Association a pathway to the top of the netball tree in a regular competetive competition under a club structure.
The AYC Association had been sending teams to CANA Championships for many years and this was the highest level on offer to our members as we were not affliated with the state body. As an unaffiliated association our members were ineligible to play at STNA or to stand for state selection.
In 1996 the STNA established the GIO League which was an opportunity the club were looking for. With the blessing of the AYC Association we applied for membership for STNA and were consequently accepted to participate in the first GIO challenge. Part of the criteria to be eligible was to be a club with at least four underage teams. With keen, energetic and hard working personel our club was established in 1996 with six teams, under 13’s, 15’s, 17’s 19’s, GIO Seniors and GIO Reserve.
In out inaugural year we won the STNA Club Championship and had five of our six teams participating in the finals with the 15 and under team winning the grand final.
In 1997 Co-Op Toyota generously accepted a proposal and under the agreement with Co-Op we subsquently became known as the AYC Co-Op Toyota Netball Club.