At the age of 37, West Coast Fever star Romelda Aiken-George admits her body may not feel quite as fresh as it did in her younger years. But the legendary shooter has opened up on how her competitive spirit and the motivation of a fresh challenge is keeping her on the court ahead of her imminent record-breaking 255th appearance in Australian top-flight netball.
Having matched Catherine Cox’s mark in the Fever’s loss to Adelaide Thunderbirds last Friday, Aiken-George is slated to surpass the Diamonds legend when her side take on NSW Swifts at RAC Arena on Sunday.
She had initially announced her retirement at the end of last season before reversing the move to cover for compatriot Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, who is missing the Fever’s campaign after giving birth to son Joshua last month.
Aiken-George, who remarkably opened her 19th season with a career-best 54-goal haul against Sunshine Coast Lightning in round one, said the challenge of integrating into a new system had been invigorating.
“I’ve had a few injuries in the past that are now haunting me because I’m not 20 anymore, but the body is feeling really good. I feel like every game, I feel like I gain more superpowers and I’m doing things that I’m not normally doing,” Aiken-George said.
“At the end of last year, I felt like my body had taken a beating. To be able to get back on-court . . . there’s just this adrenaline, this fire, I want to get out there and play. I love competing and I love the fact I get to do it in such a high-performance environment.
“Here at the Fever, I feel like I’m just being challenged whenever I go out there on-court to be better than who I was the last game. I’m just grateful to be here and to be able to play, to be honest.”
Fowler-Nembhard and Aiken-George have been teammates at international level for nearly two decades, but this year marks the first time they have been at the same club. Although they have not had the chance to share the court, Aiken-George said her relationship with her “bestie” had grown even stronger through her time in Perth.
“I feel like each time we get to hang around each other, it’s never about netball, it’s just about life in general, which just adds balance for me,” she said. “She’s such a Mum to all us Jamaican girls and we love being around her. She brings such good energy. I can see, being in this environment, how much the girls cherish her and look up to her.”
When asked if she was considering extending her remarkable career into a 20th season by playing on next year, Aiken-George replied: “I don’t think so.”
“I’m super grateful for them reaching out, for the opportunity to play here at the West Coast Fever, but the big dog’s coming back. I’ll just scoot myself over to the other side,” she joked. “There’s been no conversation about that as yet.”
The third-placed Fever will enter their clash with the Swifts on the back of a 20-goal thrashing from the Thunderbirds last week. Coach Dan Ryan said he had no doubt his team would lift to honour Aiken-George’s “incredible achievement”.
“If you ever need a bit more of a drive to make sure we get a win for somebody, it’s for Romelda,” Ryan said. “We’re so privileged and lucky to have her at our club and in our team. She’s been playing brilliant netball and she certainly deserves her place in the history books.”
