Netball
12 March, 2025
Netballers enjoy State Titles experience
The Wimmera Mallee representative netballers played extremely well in tough conditions in the Victorian State Titles, held at Jubilee Park in Frankston from Saturday, March 8, to Monday, March 10.
The under-15s defeated Gippsland 12-11 and had an 11-11 draw to Glenelg. The under-17s won four matches defeating Two Bays 12-10, Henderson 15-13, East Gippsland 16-9 and Glenelg 21-11. The open won their first game, defeating Chisholm 29-25.
Claire Drum, the under-15s co-coach with Sonia Webb said the focus was on development.
"We focus on the development of the girls and giving them the best exposure to get Talent ID'd (TID) for the pathways for talent academy, and we were pleased with the development from selection to the end of the weekend," Drum said.
"The under-15 girls stepped up, and the games were quite physical. They are lightly built, so they handled that well.
I liked the way they played together and worked together. It was a good social event, as they met and worked with other girls from other areas. It was fun seeing them together enjoying each other's company.
"I found it positive, and Sonia as coach and Tanya Webb as the player welfare officer did a good job looking after the girls and doing lots of taping. It's a great experience."
Kylie Walsh co-coached the under-17s with Sophie Thomas, and Walsh was proud and pleased with how they handled themselves.
"It's a tough competition against metro teams who have been training since September, whereas we have been doing minimal training due to other sporting commitments, and kids traveling over two hours to training when we do train," Walsh said.
"When you look at that, and the fact that it was hot, they handled themselves exceptionally well.
"In the games we won, two were against teams in the top four, and it's taken me six years to defeat one of those teams. I was running around like we won a grand final."
Walsh also commended the netballers on how well they listened and bonded.
"I was pleased with how they bonded with minimal training and listened well," Walsh said.
"It's a new environment, and it's very hectic. A lot came away with knowledge, and I was pleased with their efforts. The win/loss ratio doesn't reflect a lot of their games as they mixed it up with top teams, and that's pleasing to know we have great talent around.
"They developed skills over the weekend, and hopefully, they got looked at with the TID."
Walsh also thanked Cathie Weidemann, the State Titles Officer for the Wimmera Mallee Netball Region.
"Cathie did a lot of work behind the scenes, and is also a volunteer, so it's a big effort, and it couldn't have been done without her, so I can't thank her enough for her work."
Cathie Weidemann said giving the girls access to the pathway is important.
"It's their first chance to be TID and the association representative games is another opportunity, so we need to give the girls that want to have a crack a go, and give them the best possible chance to access that pathway."
"It's not also about the players, but the umpires. Tess Thompson, one of our umpires, got invited to umpire a final and is working towards her B-badge, and Breanna Luciani has also been TID on the umpire pathway.
"It's a big achievement to get invited by Netball Victoria to umpire a final."
The development of the open team is also important, and Weidemann says it will be a massive focus moving forward.
"In their opening game, they defeated a strong Melbourne regional team, which was a fantastic performance as they are regularly in finals, and the girls came out and won convincingly," Weidemann said.
"That was pretty exciting. The girls played different positions, and we tried various combinations.
"It was also a learning curve for me being the State Titles Officer as we can learn ways to try and build the program."
"We have four or five in the open team that are being TID for the Victorian under-19 pathway and the open team provides that pathway program."
Weidemann said it's about giving girls greater opportunity and awareness when asked what was learned and what to improve moving forward.
"We gauged interest in an open team early, and by the time we had trials, many people were no longer available," Weidemann said.
"We will ensure we provide a reasonable lead time and ensure the players know that it's a TID opportunity for players in the 19-and-under age group.
"There was always Victorian Netball League scouts watching players as well. Once you are out of junior age groups, the Netball Victoria athlete pathway isn't over. There are still opportunities to develop their netball further and play at a higher level."
Putting together and running representative teams involves a lot of work, and Weidemann thanked everyone for helping.
"We had coaches and team managers who did a great job, but our juniors also had a sports trainer and assistant coach and most of their parents that came and blended an extra hand," Weidemann said.
"Without all this help, this wouldn't be possible and it takes a community to make all of this happen."
A recap of the teams
Under-15 team
Milla Adams (Donald), Lana Angel (Birchip/Watchem), Ruby Bethune (Horsham Saints), Phoebe Downer (Rupanyup), Evie Harrington (Ararat), Luca Landrigan (Southern Mallee Thunder), Mayua Przibilla (Laharum), Heidi Robinson (Harrow Balmoral), Eleanor Sladdin (Ararat), Olivia Taylor (Horsham Saints), Hailey Tippet (Horsham Saints), Malaya Willmore (Horsham).
Training partners: Stella Fratin (Ararat), Prue O'Sullivan (Nullawil), Lylah Slorach (Swifts).
Coaches: Sonia Webb, Claire Drum.
Under-17 team
Zali Angel (Birchip/Watchem), Maddison Bethune (Horsham Saints), Lauren Clyne (Warracknabeal), Ruby Gordon (Kaniva Leeor), Zarli Knight (Horsham), Sienna Manserra (Horsham), Lena Marshman (Horsham Saints), Jasmine McIntyre (Edenhope Apsley), Bridie Price (Ararat), Cara Tippet (Horsham Saints), Ruby Wilson (Minyip Murtoa), Ilze Van Zyl (Rupanyup).
Training partners: Gracie Humphreys (Birchip/Watchem), Airlie Garlick (Warrack), Chloe Reinheimer (Kalkee).
Coaches: Kylie Walsh (Birchip/Watchem), Sophie Thomas (Warracknabeal).
Open team
Keegan Amos (Birchip Watchem), Jenna Angel (Birchip Watchem), Jaylen Benbow (Kalkee), Jayde Ellis (Pimpinio), Zoe Gray (Taylors Lake), Claudia Griffiths (Minyip/Murtoa), Taya Horman (Southern Mallee Thunder), Isabella Orszulak (Warracknbeal), Indy Ward (Dimboola), Jess White (Donald), and Mikaela Wright (Minyip/Murtoa), Holly Whitehead (Edenhope Apsley).
Coaches: Tash McIntyre (Taylors Lake), Mikaela Wright (Minyip/Murtoa).