Netball 17s step up at Senior State Titles

The majority of the team competed in the Senior State Titles in the 17U age group, in Division 4 in 2021.

This year, the team was elevated to Division 3 of the Championships, and moving 20 positions up the State Titles ladder.

The team took on playing in the higher division with great determination and enthusiasm, after showing huge improvements in their standard of play over the months of competing in regional training carnivals.

Seven games were played on Day 1 of the Championships, where the team recorded a great win over West Wyalong and another over Blayney.

All players tried their best, with the other games against Singleton, Tumut, Wollondilly, Ballina and Brunswick Byron extremely close in their court play.

Players player was shared between three girls, Eb Colvin, Jane Davis and Lily Boyd, showing the even standards of the team together.

Day 2 was an up and down day for the team, interrupted by small injuries to a number of players, affecting the positioning of the players.

Games were played against Casino, Armidale, Great Lakes, Hastings Valley, Inverell and Lithgow, and although no wins were recorded, all the girls played to their best ability, and supported each other in all their play, and never gave up trying.

The opening game against Casino was extremely close when the only time Casino was ahead was 2 seconds before the final bell, and winning by a goal.

At the end of Day 2 the team travelled to Homebush and watched the NSW Swifts win their exciting game in the Suncorp Super Netball.

Players player for Day 2 was Hannah Stanmore.

Day 3 had another six games drawn to play, with a great win over Parramatta Auburn, and very close games against Manning Valley, Mt Druitt, Nelson Bay, Quirindi and Scone.

Players player for day 3 was Lily Boyd.

The results of the games does not show the closeness of the play in the games, where the Forbes team played a high standard of netball throughout the full three days of the Championships, and never gave up trying.

The display of outstanding sportsmanship, team work and support of each other both on and off the court was second to none.

Once again high praise for the team's sportsmanship and team spirit was highlighted by comments at the end of the games, from opposition players, their coaches and the umpires who were allocated to the games.

All the girls were winners in every game, and all of Forbes should be extremely proud of this outstanding group of teenagers who have made a huge impression on many players, officials and coaches from around the state.

The girls are a first class example of what playing sport is all about.

Making new friends, accepting new players into their team, outstanding sportsmanship, supporting each other both on and off the court, and just having fun together playing the great game of netball.

The team included Lily Boyd, Piper Hanrahan, Kaylar Emery, Laura Scott, Hannah Stanmore, Eb Colvin, Jane Davis, Hannah Williams, Sienna Marchant, Kiesha Rusten.

Coach Robyn Kenny, Manager Lynda Scott, Umpire Libby Dallimore, Primary Carer Jacqui Hood, and bus driver Ian Marchant.

Thank you to Manager Lynda and Primary Carer Jacqui, bus driver Ian, water boy Adrian, and food lady Lyn, and to all the parents who have in some way, helped to make the weekend a huge success.

Thank you also to Umpire Libby Dallimore, who travelled with the team to Camden, and also Karen Hargraves, who umpired with Libby at the regional carnivals. Without umpires there would be no games.