When Sharon Siermans was a young girl, she loved playing netball.
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She wasn’t overly competitive or a particular star on the court, but she was a consistent and dedicated contributor to the Clunes Football Club’s netball teams.
And she loved the camaraderie of the game.
A crippling knee injury at the age of 13 cut short Sharon’s netball career, but she continued to cheer on her teammates each weekend while at games with her older brothers, who played football for Clunes.
And now her star continues to shine in the Central Highlands Football League each year, with a shield named in her honour given to the winner of the Learmonth and Clunes match.
This year’s match was taken out by Learmonth.
The annual grudge match between Clunes and Learmonth honours the memory of Sharon, who was murdered in April 2013 by parolee Jason Dinsley, a man she met on a dating website.
The shield also recognises her family’s connection to both CHFL teams. The Siermans boys began playing football with the Lakies before moving to the Magpies.
Sharon’s young son Aron and her parents John and Denise Siermans were on hand on Saturday to present the shield to the winning coach and captain of Learmonth.
Mr Siermans said it was heartening to see so many people attend Saturday’s match at Clunes and to hear the message from the White Ribbon Foundation encouraging people to take a stand to counter violence against women.
“This match is always a special one, particularly for Aron, who is reminded this game is for his mummy,” Mr Siermans said.
During a break in Saturday’s game, a White Ribbon ambassador spoke to players and onlookers about how they could take a stand on violence against women in their workplaces and social settings.
Sharon’s parents are also encouraging more local sporting clubs to take a stand against violence.
This is the fourth year the Sharon Siermans Shield match has been contested between the Learmonth and Clunes sides. The white football used in the first match in 2013 and signed by players from both teams, was presented to Aron and takes pride of place in a display cabinet at his grandparents’ home.
