While Townsville’s netball season wrapped up with the exciting action of the Suzuki Challenge Carnival, which drew 1140 junior players to Townsville last weekend; the senior summer series is just weeks away from firing up; hoping to draw more adults to this dynamic team sport.
Townsville welcomed 114 junior netball teams over the September 17-19 weekend, along with another 228 coaches and managers and 100 umpires from across the state. Hosted at Murray Netball Courts, Townsville City Netball Association Inc. president Marg Cedar said it was “an upbeat weekend” despite the early arrival of tropical heat.
Five of the Townsville representative teams competed in the competition, with the 12 Years Division 4 A team placing second behind Tweed team. The 12 Years Division 4 B team placed eighth, while the 13 Years Division 1 team placed tenth, and the 15 Years division 1 team finished thirteenth. The 14 Years Division 1 team finished the representative carnival in sixth place.
Townsville City 12 Years Div 4 Runners Up.
Marg said the Suzuki Challenge Carnival was the only carnival that Townsville representative teams have competed in on home soil this season, having travelled to four other state level carnivals in Cairns, Gold Coast and the Burdekin.
“This event gives players the opportunity to play in front of their families,” Marg said, with each match played over 15-minute halves.
As they say, ‘many hands make light work’ and Challenge Carnival was no different with 15 key volunteers from the Association as well as another 120 volunteers from the other nine netball clubs registered with the association. Volunteers helped out throughout the weekend to ensure the occasion was not only a welcoming environment for out-of-towners, but also an enjoyable wrap up to the representative netball season for all.
Juniors and alike love the camaraderie of netball.
This year was the last for the event, as next year Challenge will be merged into an expanded five-day Suzuki State Championship for representative teams across the state.
The Townsville City Netball Association Inc. will have a few weeks break before Senior Summer Series begins — a 10-week competition that invites anyone with an interest in netball to play on a Tuesday night either competitively or socially.
Justine Donoghue competed in the winter senior’s competition and said that Summer Series was aimed at promoting fitness, fun and competition amongst players while gaining skills in netball.
“It’s also an ideal opportunity for younger players to get involved and experience playing with senior players,” said Justine.
Get involved
Both team and individual nominations are now open with the season starting on Tuesday, October 11 with ladies and mixed competitions. Nominations can be made online through the website at www.townsvillecity.qld.netball.com.au and need to be received by Tuesday, October 4.
