Pittwater Life April 2017 Issue

Life Stories
an only child,” she recounts, and “people assume it was by
choice Warwick and I didn’t have more children, but we love
kids, and I tried really hard to have a second.” But when the
procedures became just too hard and intrusive they both
decided to focus on the beautiful daughter they had.
Kendall, now 27, played netball for Manly and the NSW
Under-19s teams, but made a decision to stop when at
university studying media. She is now working in fashion
PR in Los Angeles. “She’s much braver than either of
us,” says Anne. “We miss her, but I’m very proud of her
independence and resilience.”
One instance that stopped Anne in her tracks was seeing
the love and pride on her parents’ faces when she received
her Order of Australia Medal. Another was in October 2015
when Anne became the first ever netballer to be elevated to
Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Kendall
was unable to get back to Australia for the occasion, but
at the end of the night when Anne received the award her
daughter came up on the video screens around the room.
“She said she was enormously proud of me, not just for
what I had achieved, but for who I was, and she hoped to be
just one part of that person.” Her words not only reduced
Anne to tears, but also Warwick – and looking around Anne
saw the Australian cricketers were tearing up too.
She’s truly down-to-earth and forever the team player,
despite her many achievements and accolades, including
having a Sydney Ferries Jet Cat named after her – which
caused all her friends to text her saying she’d put on weight,
when it ran aground a couple of years ago.
Turning 60 this year she is as sharp, energetic and
unstoppable as ever and concludes: “I think you just need
to be happy. We get very busy, and do a lot of things out of
responsibility. You have to check that you’re happy with
what you’re doing, and relish the great moments.”
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
‘Annie’ in pigtails in her early
days of representing NSW;
wearing the goal shooter
bib as a teenager playing for
Manly Warringah in the ’70s;
celebrating with teammates as
State Champions; in action with
the Australian team in 1978.
30 APRIL 2017
Celebrating 25 Years