MILLEWA Netball Association (MNA) president Alison Surgey said “it was only fair” to cancel the 2021 MNA season to spare players more uncertainty about fixtures.
The MNA, which had held elimination and qualifying finals on August 14, cancelled the remainder of the final series and awarded certificates of recognition to the regular season premiers.
Nangiloc finished first in A grade after going through the season undefeated. Bambill were B grade premiers, while Cardross placed ahead of Bambill in Under 18s and Under 14s.
Surgey said the persistent interruptions had taken a physical and mental toll on players.
“There were a lot of times – even leading into the finals – that sides hadn’t played for six or seven weeks. It’s tough on your body physically, when you’ve got to turn up and play an hour of netball after doing nothing,” she said.
“To call (the season) off was probably the best thing for everybody rather than stop-starting.”
Aside from greater player vaccination numbers, Surgey hoped next season the league, in collaboration with Millewa Football league, would be able to introduce a COVID plan to “allow for games missed” to be held.
This season the MNA introduced an Under 18s competition to replace C grade competition, and Surgey believed this had “worked out really well”.
She said the introduction of another junior competition allowed players to stay connected with the association and to build up confidence.
“We had a lot of kids coming out of Under 15s (that) weren’t ready enough to step up into C grade. Introducing (Under 18s) allowed them another couple of years to play with their peers. And then they could move up into a senior grade and just to allow that natural progression.”
Surgey will step down as president of MNA in October, saying it was the right time for “somebody younger with fresh ideas to move forward with the MNA”. Surgey said she would remain involved in “some capacity”, being a life member of the Millewa Netball Association.
