League newbies aim high

THE Aloes men’s team are looking forward to the prospect of winning the East London Zone Netball League after coming second in the league last year.

The league games will light up the city once again later on today at the Hamiltons Club in Selborne at 1pm with this being the second round of the season this year.

Because of the shortage of men’s teams in the league, Aloes men play against ladies’ teams.

For teams to be able to play in the league they need to have at least 15 players who are affiliated and registered to the league.

Aloes coach Wendy Higson said she hoped the men’s team finished in the number one spot.

Higson added that the men’s team helped raise the standard and after only one year in the league the team was already dominating.

“This helped to make the competition a bit tougher which is good for the ladies as it adds more pressure and I am hoping the team will make it to the top this season,” she said.

The men’s team will go head to head tomorrow against the Butterworth Walter Sisulu team.

Men in netball is not a new concept as men have played for years and there is a men’s league.

However the sport is not as popular among men as compared to women according to several netball coaches.

There are parallels between men who play netball – a sport dominated by women and women who play rugby – a male dominated sport.

Considering the Aloes men only joined the league last year and in their first year managed a second place in the league this can be compared to the Border women’s rugby side who are dominant in the sport nationally with less than 10 years in the game.

The other teams that will spark up the Hams Club are: Spiders vs Ravens A, MBSA vs Cascades, Romans A vs Ravens B, Aloes B vs Romans B and Fort Hare East London A vs WSU Butterworth B.

At the end of the season this netball zone league hosts one match during the day and a prestigious prizegiving and awards ceremony during the evening.

The best performing team receives a floating trophy and medals for each team member.

In the categories section the best performing centre, defender and shooter also get trophies.

East London Netball Zone Council secretary Faith Sijula said they had financial constraints and therefore could not give away prizes bigger than they were already giving.

“Hopefully as time goes by we will be able to give away better prizes and we hope to find sponsors for our league games.” she said.