Back to lead the Bombers in 2024, premiership-winning player Hilton has whittled down her role to an A-grade specific after overseeing a trio of teams in recent years.
Hilton stepped up to the plate in 2022, but soon learned that plate was full.
She supervised three teams then and lent heavily on junior development in the most recent season, priming Kyabram’s budding talents for senior Goulburn Valley League netball.
And now they’re ready.
“After coaching last year, we’ve got a good core group of girls and the club is heading in the right direction in terms of culture,” Hilton said.
“It’s just a good place to be at, so I decided to go around again just with the A-grade.
“We’ve been focusing on developing our local talent to ensure the longevity of the club.
“We’re getting better and better and that will be the focus for next year as well ― to continue to develop and keep the girls there.”
After 20 years associated with Kyabram, there aren’t many better people to front the club’s identity than Hilton.
She began her netball career with a bang, securing back-to-back 17-and-under flags with the Bombers in 2003-04 before heading to university.
Upon returning, Hilton went on to play more than 150 games in red and black, first in B-grade, then A-grade, where she lifted the flag in 2012.
Throughout the past decade, she has coached B-grade, B-reserve and 17-and-under, guiding the latter to a semi-final berth in 2023.
It was a sparkle in a lustreless season for the seniors.
Kyabram placed 10th in the GVL A-grade campaign as young blood was exposed to the top flight and though the ladder position wasn’t ideal, the Bombers pushed several of the best sides all the way.
The talent wells are full at Kyabram and Hilton is now ready to unleash her greener girls.
“This year obviously I’ve done a lot of work with the juniors and we’ve got them coming up through the ranks,” she said.
“I’ve been working with them for the past two years and now they’re developing for the senior levels.
“We still walked away pretty happy with the seniors, considering we knew we were developing.
“I think it was important to get some games into the girls who were playing under-17s in order to get them ready for next year.
“There was sort of a long-term goal there ... when they get to that level next year, they’re ready to go which they certainly will be.
“And I still think we were competitive with some of the teams, but being young, it just takes a bit to hold on for four quarters.”
