She has finished her coaching duties with High A after guiding them to the Orange Netball Association division one semi-finals and to 12th place in the 2011 NSW CHS netball knockout.

The Orange High School teacher has gradually stepped down from different administration and coaching positions in the sport in recent years but will cut all official ties at the end of 2011.

She started her involvement in netball when she was 15 years old and was asked to play in a team to make up numbers.

“I was a state-level sprinter and hurdler, so I guess they felt my speed and jumping ability could make up for what I didn’t know about the game,” Middleton said.

When she was in her final year of school some Year 9 girls asked Middleton to coach their team and she helped them to the semi-finals in their division.

Middleton played much of her early netball in Illawarra and in 1974 she nominated for the committee and became a junior competition secretary where she learnt a lot about administration.

She lived and worked in different parts of Australia, including Lismore, Perth, and Narrabri, before coming to Orange in 1984.

Middleton said the sport had little publicity and people had to umpire their own games.

“Not being one to sit on my backside and whinge, in August of that year I nominated for committee and was elected as vice-president,” she said.

She spent 20 years on the ONA committee and held various positions, including umpires convenor, coaching coordinator and vice-president, before finally taking on the president’s role.

Her list of achievements as a coach are phenomenal and many of her players have gone on to represent at regional, state, national and international levels.

She has plenty of highlights from her time involved in Orange netball.

“Playing in the Netball Classics in the 1980s with legends like Toot Keegan, Bev Sullivan and Pam Ryan. The bus trips to Sydney and back with the ladies were something else,” Middleton said.

She coached High A to NSW Combined High Schools knockout titles in 1995 and 1996 as well as second place in 1994 and 2008.

In 2002 she helped Western Area to win the NSW CHS State Championship.

She has played a key role in Orange High winning 10 of the 12 Marianne Murphy Shields and has also loved being a part of the Astley Cup and Malynley Shield competitions.

This is barely touching the surface of her achievements.

Middleton’s impact on the sport in Orange is evident by looking at the number of players in tomorrow’s ONA division grand final she has coached.

From Robin Hood she has coached Tegan Dray, Amanda Rouse, Sophie Beer, Sinead Bradley and Bindi Irwin (injured) and she has mentored Westoil’s Mardi Aplin, Jacky Jyden (injured), Jo Cook, Leanne Trefry, Sheryll Selwood, Cassie Vane, Kate Pratt and Karena Slattery (pregnant).

Middleton is confident Orange High School Netball club will continue to remain strong.

And she hasn’t ruled out having some input in the future.

She plans to be a regular face on the sidelines during the ONA Saturday competition and a junior netball team could benefit from her coaching prowess in the near future.

“A couple of years down the track, Eloise, my granddaughter, has already asked that I might coach her team when she is old enough to play,” Middleton revealed.

Until then she plans to “stress less and relax more”.

“But I guess netball blood will always course through my veins,” she said.