SUNRAYSIA Football Netball League (SNFL) has managed to register five junior representative netball teams this year after Mildura A-grade coach Abbey Madden and local netball icon Karen Martin put their hands up to coach.
While this is the bare minimum required for the girls to compete, SNFL netball organiser and coach Martin said she would step down from the position if someone else came forward.
“I welcome anyone interested in coaching to come forward … I’d be happy to mentor them,” Martin said.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to develop your coaching abilities.”
She said it was rewarding to be part of something so important for young netballers.
“Tournaments like this expose young girls to a range of new players and styles,” Martin said.
“It gives our young sportspeople the chance to have their talent identified by Netball Victoria, which can be life-changing for players.
“Competing at a representative level is so beneficial for players’ development and potential pathways into even higher levels and be selected for things like zone academies.
“So, it is in turn really important to get new coaches coming through and learning the ropes so we can continue giving the girls these opportunities” she said.
Player, umpire and coach Christie Becker, of Wentworth Netball Club, said while the club now had enough coaches to compete, “if one more applied (they) would be laughing”.
“Karen already just does so much for netball,” Becker said.
Becker said coach Madden just returned from university and “seems like a young fresh face keen for netball”.
“We are excited to have her,” she said of Madden.
SNFL held their screening day on Thursday for their Division 1 and Division 2 under-13 team, under-15 Division 1 and 2 teams and an under-17 Division 1 team.
“We will also train up some under-11 players but they will not be participating in tournaments,” she said.
Martin said the club was unsure what player numbers would be like after the
challenges of COVID-19.
“But there has been an overwhelmingly positive turnout,” she said.
“The response has been really healthy, which is a great sign for clubs moving into the season … even at a domestic level.”
SNFL is also searching for umpires who can travel away with the team.
“It’s a similar situation to the coaches … without umpires, the girls can’t play,” Martin said.
