Young stars trapped in regional net

SUNRAYSIA’S best junior netball players are facing an uncertain future as the sport remains in lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of many elite programs and left a number of the region’s top young players without a clear pathway.

For eight of Sunraysia’s best under-17 players – Ava Allen, Ella Higgins, Mia Hollingsworth, Holly Mangan, Elisabeth Mazzini, Ily Sovua, Matisse Wilkie and Avalon Williams, the shutdown means they will not be able travel to Melbourne this month for the Victoria under-17 team try-outs.

Local netball identity Lisa Mangan said for many girls this would be their last opportunity to try out for a state team.

“It is hard enough to get into a try-out,” Mangan said. 

“If Netball Victoria doesn’t keep doing it (state team) they will have no stock – it is a bit like the footy draft. If they don’t do it, they have missed a whole year.”

It is not just Sunraysia’s Netball Victoria academy players who have been affected; Mangan estimates up to 500 of the state’s best juniors are also in the same situation because of the COVID-19 restrictions.

She believes Victorian players are being disadvantaged and it could have a long-lasting effect on the game.

“It puts us so far behind the other states because Victoria is the only state that hasn’t been able to play netball,” Mangan said.

“This means Netball Victoria misses out on seeing these girls play and, unfortunately, there will be girls who just stop playing the game altogether because they are at an age where there are other interests for them.”

But despite the setbacks, players and their families have been trying to make the most of the difficult situation they find themselves in.

Technology has played an important role in ensuring each member of the Sunraysia Academy has been able to maintain and develop their skills during the shutdown period.

“They have been working on their at-home programs, which they have had right from the start of the year,” said Mangan.

“They have started doing some Zoom sessions with their coaches and they have a specialist one this weekend.”

Each player receives regular programs from their regional coaches, with an emphasis on footwork drills.

Mangan hopes an easing of restrictions will allow the academy members to return to face-to-face training in the coming weeks and has also not given up hope of State trials being held early next year.

“Normally, the girls would be involved in a training program conducted once a month over eight months,” she  said.

“In September they would be involved in a specialist academy session where all the different academies come together and they have a special training day.

“The next day there is a tournament for all the academy players and from there they select girls to try out for the state under-17 team and that is usually held in Melbourne, but that probably won’t happen.

“They are saying they will hold try-outs and if they have to do them in January, they will do it then.

“I think they are hoping the regional academies will be able to play matches and then the Melbourne girls can do their thing.”