Junior Netball May Update – We’ve hit the ground running in 2025. 

From trials and practice matches to training and developing our Junior players as trainers in our Under 11 Program, it has been fantastic to have our Players volunteer to mentor and guide our Under 11 players.

We currently have 26 Junior netball teams and 245 junior players. It is incredibly exciting to have so many Players experiencing the joy of Netball.

We have a wonderful coaching group this year and we appreciate them all volunteering their time to train, coach games and guide our players.

This year, we have Keelie Steer, our under-11 coach mentor, assisting our juniors in training the under-11 players, and Amy Merriman, who has volunteered to work alongside Andrea Douglas, who leads St Mary’s Health & Wellbeing on and off the courts.

Shout out to Kylie Power, our umpire coordinator and mentor. Any juniors wanting to express interest in the umpiring pathway please email us smscjuniornetball@gmail.com

This year, AFL Barwon has introduced the Green Armband initiative. Throughout the season, umpires wearing green armbands will indicate that they are under 18.

It is great to see our players encouraging and supporting each other at training and games. It is a true team sport, and there is much positivity around the courts.

This year, our Saturday netballers started the season on April 12th v Newtown. It was fantastic to see Families at the courts supporting these players and encouraging them positively on the sidelines.

Our under-11 players took the court next on 29th April, followed by our under-13, 15, and 17 Friday Competition on 2nd May.

Under 17 has been busy in the community fundraising for their cultural trip to South Africa in December 2025. This year, 12 players will attend the trip.

Throughout the year, they will call out for extra hands to help them raise funds and achieve their goals. All funds raised will subsidise the cost for parents to send their daughters to have the experience of a lifetime.

Our girls will have different forms of sponsorship available, whether it is the uniform sponsor, player sponsor or just yourself or a business wanting to contribute to support them. If you can help,p please email smscjuniornetballculturaltrip@gmail.com

We are incredibly excited about the season ahead and look forward to seeing our players grow and form new friendships.

Eileen Shiells & Nicole Mitchell
Junior Netball