Celebrating a Legacy: Kellie Duff Awarded Life Membership at WHFNC
On Saturday 5 July, more than 60 members of the Hawks community gathered to honour a woman whose contribution to our club has shaped generations - Kellie Duff, as she was officially awarded Life Membership of the Woodend Hesket Football Netball Club.
The room was filled with past and present players, coaches, committee members, friends and family - all there to celebrate Kellie’s extraordinary journey and the incredible legacy she continues to build. In her heartfelt speech, long-time friend and fellow committee member Anne-Louise Lardner reflected on Kellie’s years of service and impact, both on and off the court.
Kellie first joined the club as a player in 2006, and it didn’t take long for her influence to be felt. She was instrumental in establishing the junior netball program at WJFNC in 2013, taking on the Netball Coordinator role, coaching multiple teams, and leading the club to three junior premierships. Her energy, leadership and passion quickly became the foundation of our junior netball culture.
In 2016, the senior netball program was at a crossroads - depleted numbers, no coaches, and crumbling facilities. Kellie took the reins as Netball Coordinator and A & B Grade coach, and set about rebuilding from the ground up. Through her vision and tireless advocacy, the program grew into a five-team department, introduced player payments, developed professional policies and communication strategies, and recruited experienced head coaches to lift the standard of play.
Her tireless behind-the-scenes work also brought to life one of the club’s most important infrastructure projects - the redevelopment of the netball courts. Over six years, Kellie lobbied, fundraised, and oversaw the planning and delivery of the facilities that now support our thriving netball community. In June 2025, Court 1 was officially named “The Kellie Duff Court” in recognition of her instrumental role in the project.
Kellie’s legacy is not just in wins or premierships - although back-to-back A Grade flags in 2023 and 2024 are certainly part of the story - it’s in the culture she helped create. A culture of inclusion, pride, development and connection. Thanks to her, WHFNC is now recognised as a destination netball club in the region.
It’s also no surprise that her name lives on in the honours our club awards:
The Kellie Duff Award (19 & Under B&F)
The Kellie Duff Medal (Celebrating Women at the Nest junior award)
And now, Life Membership of our club
Kellie continues to coach, mentor and guide young players, and remains a fierce advocate for women in sport. Her ability to lead with compassion, build community, and raise standards at every turn is what makes her a true changemaker.
From everyone at WHFNC - thank you, Kellie. Your dedication has built something special that will carry forward for years to come. We’re proud to have walked this journey with you, and even prouder to now call you a Life Member of the Hawks 💛🤎
