Tara Murray
A position change hasn’t halted the career of young Wyndham netball star Blake Cachia.
Having started playing netball when he was 11 at the Wyndham Netball Association as a fill in, Cachia found a home at goal attack.
Having played well enough to make the Victorian under-17 team for the Australian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association last season, Cachia was then selected to represent the Australia under-17 team.
It was there that his transition from goaler to midcourter began.
“Last year I moved into the midcourt,” he said. “I’m a bit short for goals.
“I ended up being the starting wing attack for Australia. I had only played four quarters of wing attack before being picked for Australia at that position,
“I was shocked as I didn’t know anything about the position. The transition has been hard, I’m still learning.”
Cachia said while he still enjoys goaling, he has started to enjoy playing in the midcourt.
He said the experience of playing for Australia was incredible. The team played in the New Zealand under-23 championship and played a match against the New Zealand under-20 team.
“It’s very different to here,” he said. “The setup and the defensive side of things. They go for every ball.”
Cachia was again selected in the Victorian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association under-17 team for the national championships this year.
The Victorian team was undefeated for a second straight year.
“It feels really good to be able to go and not lose for that whole time,” Cachia said.
Cachia is hoping his form at the championships will lead to selection in the Australia under-17 team, which will hopefully be announced next month.
With the rise of men’s netball in Australia, Cachia knows that he is coming through the pathways at the right time.
There’s a push for the sport to be in the Olympics, while the Australian team has had opportunities in recent years to play in front of big crowds.
It’s a long way from the courts in Werribee where he started as a fill in for his sister’s team that his dad was coaching.
“I love it,” he said. “I played basketball and footy as well as netball.
“When it started to clash I stopped playing footy and basketball.”
Cachia, who also gives back by helping with coaching the next generation, is hoping to be part of the Victorian under-20 team next season.
Long term he wants to make the open men’s team for Victorian and hopefully get the opportunity to pull on the green and gold.
Tara Murray
