In an exciting development for the Yass Netball Association (YNA), they will be sending three teams to compete in the State Age Championships from July 7 to July 9.
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Teams of Under 13, Under 14 (who will be attending the championships for the first time), and Under 15 girls will be taking part in the event.
Under 15's coach Michelle Vitler said that it was a great opportunity for the girls to have fun and develop their skills, so long as “they go away and enjoy themselves.”
“They play something like 21 games over three days, so it’s physically and mentally exhausting for them.
“So if they come away with a smile on their face at the very end then I’m happy with that.”
The state age championships is one of the largest female sporting events in the southern hemisphere.
It originally began as the Junior District Carnival in 1968, and was held out of Moore Park. Its inaugural year saw 44 teams from 10 associations compete across five age groups.
The next year saw it re-named the Netball NSW State Age Championships, and in the years since it has grown so large that no single netball association has the capacity to host the entire event by itself.
The sheer magnitude of the event can be intimidating for young netballers, but Vitler said that her team is ready to go and make a statement in what will be their last attempt at the State Age championships.
“This is actually their last year for State Age, because Under 15’s is the oldest age group,” she said.
“So it’s like the end of an era for them.
“They’re a great bunch of girls and they’re in the same friend group at school, so they get on really well socially as well as in the netball environment.”
The YNA Under 15’s side will compete in the Division Three carnival at West Ryde, while the Under 13’s and Under 14’s will take part in the Division Four comeptition at Western Suburbs Netball Association – Concord.
In a statement, the YNA said that it was “proud of the commitment the players and parents have shown attending carnivals throughout the year and the extra training sessions required in preparation for next month.”