Douglas teams a triple threat

DOUGLAS Netball Association has three rep teams competing in the six-week Marlin Coast Regional Premier and Junior League Marlin Coast Challenge, which started on February 23, against players from Mareeba, Tablelands, Innisfail, Tully and Cairns

Douglas coach Sharon Beechey said after two rounds her junior league team is undefeated and her two Premier League teams have a win each.

“The girls are doing really well and I am confident they will continue to hold their own,” she said. “This gives them the opportunity to increase their skill level against higher competition and it really develops their game.”

The Premier League, which caters for players aged 14 to 17, will be used as a selection process for the Vicki Wilson Marlin Coast regional academy.

The players will have the chance to impress coaches and selectors throughout the challenge in the hopes of being chosen for the touring academy teams for 2019.

Douglas Netball has been quite successful at this in the past with four local girls selected to represent the Marlin Coast in Singapore last year.

“Douglas netball is really focused on developing its players’ skill level and it really shows when they get selected in programs like this,” Ms Beechey said.

These girls and a crop of new contenders are trialling in the hopes of being selected for teams that will travel to Adelaide and Singapore.

With numbers continuing to expand, a junior league was introduced into the challenge in 2018, catering for players aged 11 to 13.

This gives the younger players the opportunity to play in a similar league as their older counterparts.

In the fifth round of the challenge former Australian netballer and high performance coach Vicki Wilson will conduct a skill session, mentoring all players and coaches.

The intense pre-season challenge will help prepare players for the seasons, which for the Douglas Netball girls starts on March 19.