Tara Murray
Caroline Springs’ Dijana Vasilevska wasn’t going to play football this year.
Having started playing with Melton in the Ballarat Football League in 2019, Vasilevska’s budding football career had been interrupted by COVID-19.
“It was my first season at Caroline Springs,” she said. “I wasn’t sure about playing and one of my former teammates was coming to play at the club.
“I wasn’t sure whether I still wanted to play as I hadn’t played football a lot.
“I decided to come down to one training session and after one training session I was staying there.
“I realised that I missed it.”
The decision proved to be a successful one with Vasilevska a key player in the Lakers’ first women’s premiership.
Vasilevska’s season was late last month capped off with a personal honour, awarded the Western Region Football League division 1 women’s best and fairest award.
Vasilevska finished on 17 votes, five clear of Manor Lakers Jaimi Paten.
She was left stunned by the result.
“I’m so excited,” she said. “I was not expecting it.
“It didn’t really hit me until after I got a medal and walked off the stage.”
Vasilevska was quick to pay tribute to the coaches at Caroline Springs for helping her take her game to the next level.
She played 16 games starring on the wing.
“I think I had a good season,” she said.
“I learned a lot from the coaches. At the start of the season, I’m not even half the player I am now.”
Having reconnected with the sport, Vasilevska said she is keen to play for as long as she can.
She said since winning the best and fairest award there has been a few people asking whether she would look to play at a higher level.
“I think I’ll just keep going and take it seriously and make sure I’m at every training session,” she said.
“Every game I will be working on improving. I haven’t thought about playing higher and I’m not sure about it.
“But there’s no harm in trying.”
Vasilevska wasn’t the only Lakers player recognised with Jacinta Kondis named the female rookie of the year.
In other awards, Dillon Vijio-Rainbow won the Barry Priest Medal for the best player in the men’s division 1 competition
Shaun Campbell won the division 2 best and fairest for a second straight year, in division 3, Albanvale’s Liam Montrose won the division 3 best and fairest on 17 votes, three votes clear of teammate Reece Duffield.
In the women’s division 2 competition, Wyndhamvale’s Mariah Burton was the runaway winner on 25 votes.
