THE Narre Warren Calisthenics Club is celebrating a lifetime of achievement by many of its dedicated members.
While the club has enjoyed great success over the years, its greatest accomplishment is the bonds formed between members and the friendships made.
They make up a kind of second family, and they love the sport they do.
Veronica ‘Ronnie’ Howlett is celebrating 30 years at the club, having begun her involvement when she was just four.
She has been coaching for the past 15 years and developing girls’ skills and techniques.
Jessica Wijerante celebrates 20 years at the club in 2015, having started at just five-years-of-age.
She has been coaching the club’s ‘tinies’ for six years and now also its sub-juniors.
She is also currently a member of the Narre Warren Calisthenics Club’s (NWCC) seniors team.
Carla Sano will also mark her 20-year milestone next year and, like Jessica, has coached the club’s juniors and is a current NWCC seniors team member.
Kimberley Walkerden will celebrate 35 years at the club next year. In her own words she’s been at the club “forever”.
She taught Veronica in the tinies and has coached for more than 29 years.
Currently the coach of the NWCC juniors and masters teams, she was 14 when she first coached the tinies.
Belinda Walkerden (Wouters) has competed with the club for 34 years and is its longest-serving member.
Her daughter Lily-Ann has done three years in the tinies and is going into the sub-juniors next year.
In fact, the only time Belinda – now 41 – has had away from the club was to have her three children.
Other members include: Marnie Higgins (26 years), Sharon Williams (18 years), Emily Kisnorbo (16 years), Elissa Gallagher (16 years), Jackie Varney (15 years), Gabrielle Marks (15 years), Stacey Van Loon (14 years), Andrea Cheniart (13 years), Zoe Elsbury (12 years), Bianca Calori (12 years), Courtney Jeanteu (11 years) and Hayley Brewster (10 years).
