It was another impressive performance by ‘MVP’ Kylie Leslie on Easter Sunday at Lonsdale Reserve.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
Kylie Leslie has had a career spanning 22 years with several premierships included but on Easter Sunday she racked up another achievement, playing in her 300th match with her beloved Pigeons.
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Kylie started playing with the Pigeons in 2001 and has had the privilege of being part of a formidable combination of players, winning numerous A Grade premierships (09, 10, 12, 14, 17 and 22), several A Grade B&F’s in 07, 10, 15, 18 and 21 alongside several B Grade premierships and league recognitions.
Yarrawonga stalwart and Ovens and Murray league Hall of Famer Tracey Gillies presented Kylie with flowers and spoke of her career with the Pigeons before the match on Sunday, telling the Yarrawonga Chronicle on Tuesday that the club have been very lucky to have a player of Kylie’s talent and personality for so long.
Kylie Leslie pictured with husband and Yarrawonga games record holder Xav and their children Annie, Lily and Jimmy celebrated 300 games for the club on Easter Sunday.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
“Kylie moved to town over 20 years ago with her family and began playing at Yarra as a junior,” Tracey said.
“She has always been a highly talented, natural athlete and very resilient. To reach 300 games, she has done so with a great amount of adversity and determination and we couldn’t be prouder of her.
“She has won countless A and B Grade premierships, best and fairest’s and has been recognised with league awards whilst also being named in the Ovens and Murray team of the last 25 years.
“It is really just the character of Kylie that we admire so much and we are very lucky to have had her at our club for as long as we have.”
The A Grade Pigeons celebrated Kylie’s milestone with a speech and flowers presented by club stalwart Tracey Gillies before the game and a win over the Albury Tigers.
Photo by
Les_Garbutt
The Leslie name is synonymous with the Yarrawonga Pigeons as Kylie’s husband Xavier now holds the Pigeons games record with over 300 games as well as several premierships, b&f’s and a Morris Medal.
A Grade Coach Laura Davis only spoke in glowing terms of Kylie who is a great person both on and off the court and is a Yarrawonga club person through and through.
“Kylie is a superstar of the club and the league,” Laura said.
“She has racked up 300 games while having two ACL injuries and three children. She’d be closer to 500 games if we counted those years too.
“She is athletic, agile and smart. She manages to break down the play of every GA she comes up against and is not only an elite athlete but also an all-round fabulous person.
“She is a committed club person, always has time for teammates, and manages to have us in fits of laughter every training.
“We are all so fortunate to be her teammate and her friend.
“We can’t wait to see you play another 100 games KT.”
