THE Mildura Netball Association (MNA) has been forced to cancel its winter season, however it is holding out hope twilight netball can be run later this year.
The MNA board met this week with the unanimous decision made to call off the winter season, which had already been delayed when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit.
Vice-president Alana Mills said the decision factored in controlling access to Mansell Reserve, spectator limits and the new developments in the border closure between New South Wales and Victoria.
“The guidelines for returning to play with the way Mansell Reserve is set up and now with this new shutdown looming and the border closure we weren’t sure how that was going to look getting players over to Mildura as well as our volunteers,” Mills said.
“It just seemed like it was the right call to cancel, we were hoping for an eight-week season but it just got to the point where we couldn’t do it.
“We can’t be everywhere all the time, that was the concern for volunteers – we’d be playing multiple nights and with the rules set up by Netball Victoria – with one entry and exit point on an open reserve – how do we police that with the volunteers we have?”
In a further blow, the MNA has also had to cancel its signature Spring Carnival, which draws thousands of people to the community from Victoria and other states, due to the border closures.
But all is not lost for the association going forward, with its eyes on a decision in mid-September regarding this year’s twilight competition.
That competition is not due to start until October.
“We’re hoping and very optimistic restrictions will change in regional Victoria to allow us to have a return season for that,” Mills said.
“Our utmost intention is to make sure we can get that up, for players in Mildura definitely we want that happen.”
The MNA has also been successful in gaining funding from the Victorian Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund’s Female Friendly Facilities program, which will enable the association to relocate to the Mildura South Regional Sporting Precinct and host state and regional events.
The government on Tuesday announced the sports precinct would be one of 100 projects across the state to share in $30 million through the fund.
A total of $500,000 will go towards the outdoor netball courts and lighting project, while $250,000 has been allocated for the multi-sport outdoor infrastructure project.
