Cousins to show skills at Nationals
Longwarry netballers Amity Stephens and Holly Stephens will soon show their skills in Brisbane whilst representing Victoria at the Australian Indoor Netball Junior National Championships.
After three months of training and learning indoor netball rules at various metropolitan locations, the cousins will play in the 14 and under girls team in Brisbane from November to December 2.
Amity and Holly have had hugely successful 2017 seasons with Longwarry Netball Club. Amity won the club’s under 15 best and fairest trophy whilst Holly won the league and club best and fairest awards as well as being part of a premiership team in the under 13 competition.
The Drouin Secondary College students were invited to try out for indoor netball. They attended two trials, each lasting two hours, alongside 40 players from across Victoria.
As a result, Amity and Holly gained Victorian selection. The girls said they were very proud and excited to be part of the Victorian team and representing Longwarry 25 Netball Club, Ellinbank and District Netball Association and Baw Baw Shire.
Local resident Yvonne Porter will coach the Victorian team. Yvonne is Longwarry Netball Club’s 2018 head coach.
Amity and Holly have had to learn the rules of indoor netball, with a few differences to the standard game. They have trained hard at Springvale, Cranbourne and Boronia to refine their skills.
Whilst in Brisbane, they will play two games per day against sides from Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia.
The first three days will see teams play with six players per side. With two defenders, two attackers and two link/centre players, teams play four quarters of 10 minutes. The court is divided into two halves – attack and defence – with nets surrounding the court considered part of the playing area. Teams can score one point from shots within the girl circle or two points from outside the goal circle.
For the remaining days of the championships, teams will have seven players per side, 12minute quarters and can score one point goals only from within the goal circle. This is a format similar to the standard netball game.