She's the netball tragic standing in the way of Tuggeranong's maiden title, but even after devoting almost 40 years and delivering Arawang's four premierships, Kim Symons isn't ready to hand over the State League title.
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Symons and Arawang are aiming for back-to-back grand final wins on Sunday, while Tuggeranong has its sights on its first title and winning all three trophies up for grabs.
Symons' record is unrivalled in Netball ACT, having coached Arawang for the past 10 years, winning four titles and only missing two grand finals in a decade of dominance.
But the experienced coach knows better than most that records count for little when two teams go head to head in the season decider.
She started playing for Arawang when she was nine, started coaching at 15, retired from playing in her 30s because of knee injuries, and took the coaching reins in State League when the competition started 10 years ago.
The only two years Arawang failed to make the grand final - 2008 and `09 - were the last two times Tuggeranong had a chance to win the title.
"Yeah, I guess Kim's record and Arawang's past is pretty intimidating when you put it like that," said Tuggeranong captain Maddie White.
"We've lost both round games against them, but it's competitive. We can't look at their record, we know what we have to do to beat them. Kim is very much admired, but she's not in our camp so we'll have to use what we can."
Symons would rather the focus be on her players as they aim for consecutive titles for the second time in a decade.
Arawang has been the most dominant team in the competition's history and booked its place in a fourth consecutive grand final by winnning eight games in a row.
"I'm Arawang since the day I started playing netball,'' Symons said. "I have a passion for the competition and the girls are fantastic. I just keep coming back for more.
"Pretty much my life is about coaching and netball, and while the passion is still there, I'll keep going. The day I relinquish the position is the day I know Arawang will be taken care of in the future."
Arawang has won titles in 2006-07, 2010 and `13. Tuggeranong hasn't played in a grand final for five years. It has just three players with grand final experience, but is confident it can topple the competition heavyweight.
Tuggeranong coach Nicole Bowles transformed the culture to lift the team into title contention, and it filtered through to the lower grades and the club has teams in all three grand finals on Sunday.
"We just looked at how we talk to each other, approach the game and made sure we are always positive," Bowles said.
"It was about cutting about any bad behaviour ... it's a big task against Arawang, you can never take them lightly. But we're prepared for the opportunity to hopefully knock them off.''
ACT STATE LEAGUE NETBALL GRAND FINAL
Sunday: Arawang v Tuggeranong at Lyneham Netball Centre, 3pm.
Division two: Tuggeranong v Canberra, 1pm.
Division three: Arawang v Tuggeranong, 11am.
