NETBALL in the south-west has a strong junior focus, with Dennington playing its part in developing future stars. The Dogs are narrowing the gap between their senior and junior players with a new initiative. Each week a different member of the 15 and under side warms up with the A grade, sits on the bench for the match, and is part of their huddles. The program extended in round 11 when Dennington hosted Merrivale. Teenager Kelsey Perry hit the court during the third quarter at goal attack against the Tigers, netting five goals. The idea came from A grade coach Liz Moloney, with Dogs mid-courter Victoria Lumsden praising the move. “There is definitely some talent there in our junior ranks and it’s good to give them a go,” she said. “Whenever there is an opportunity to play a junior, Liz will put them on the court.”
ONLY five babies to go. Port Fairy is on its way to a future netball side — and one which should possess a fair bit of netball knowledge. About seven weeks after senior co-coach Nicole Dwyer gave birth to her daughter Lexie, the Seagulls’ A2 coach Amy Hilton also welcomed a little girl into the world. Liddell Kate Hilton arrived last Friday at 12.50pm. “I missed last week’s game but the break came at the right time,” Hilton said. “We’ve got a couple of home games coming up after it so I should be able to get to them.” Stand-in coaches Stacey Dwyer and Elise Woods obviously did a good job in Hilton’s absence last Saturday as the Seagulls recorded a season double against Warrnambool with a one-goal victory.
AFTER utilising Mininera and District’s break round a fortnight ago, Port Fairy made good use of Hamilton’s bye from Western Border last weekend. The Seagulls gave the Magpies’ up-and-coming goaler Jess Crow a run against Warrnambool due to regular shooter Emily Clarke being unavailable.
AN interested source from outside North Warrnambool Eagles was curious if the club would be without any of its netballers after last weekend. He thought the blue and gold might have been littered with ankle injuries after last Saturday night. North held its annual ball, and the City Memorial Bowls Club dance floor — admittedly stickier than usual — apparently didn’t mix well with various pairs of high heels.
CAMPERDOWN has welcomed several elite athletes to its new Five Star Function Centre, with the Magpies adding another to the list last Thursday night. Queensland Firebirds netballer Sarah Wall — who has just had a knee reconstruction — returned to her hometown club, where she gave a talk. Her former Melbourne Vixens teammate Bianca Chatfield was a chance to join her as a special guest but a meeting went longer than expected, delaying her trip to the south-west.
THERE are still a few places available in two of the coaching-in-the-field sessions, which will be conducted by level three coach Debbie Armstrong. Any coaches wanting to attend the ‘lesson planning’ session at Cobden Recreation Reserve on Sunday morning or the ‘program planning’ at City Memorial Bowls Club on Monday night should contact Marg Morgan.
THANKS to the two callers last Friday who pointed out that former Australian representative Ellen Darcy was not a member of Hampden league’s exclusive 250 senior game club. The name was incorrectly included on Hampden league’s list of life members on its website. The website now has the correct name, which is former Cobden netballer Elise Darcy.
THE rumour circulating that Camperdown senior coach Leah Sinnott has been playing with a broken wrist is just a rumour. Sinnott told The Standard this week that she fell on her wrist against Koroit in round 10. While there is bruising, sprained ligaments and soft tissue damage, there was no break. She chose not to tape it the following round against South Warrnambool. “I don’t like wearing Band-Aids let alone having it taped,” she said.
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