WESTLAKES District Netball Association has enjoyed a remarkable finish to the representative netball season with all five of its teams finishing in the top five of their respective divisions.
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The representative season culminated in the state age championships.
For three Westlakes teams that meant a trip to Eastwood Ryde Netball Association’s Meadowbank Park.
Westlakes’ 14s, meanwhile, travelled to Camden for their Division 2 championships over three full days of netball against the best teams from across the state.
The 12s were excited but nervous as they travelled to Sydney for their first ever state age championships. The intensity of the competition, staged over three days, proved a surprise for some, as fatigue started to set in on the second day of competition - but they never gave up.
The 12s managed a fifth place finish. Over the three days they won 10 of their 16 games, with one draw, and scored a total of 251 goals.
It was an outstanding effort for their first representative year.
Coaches Karen Daniels and Leanne Meiforth were proud of the girls’ hard work and said it was great to see small improvements each day.
Westlakes’ 13s also travelled to Meadowbank Park and finished fourth. Coaches Brooke and Georgia Dodson and manager Robyn Jordan were amazed at how each girl had improved in the past six months.
The girls played with grit and determination to beat the top three teams. The highlight for the girls was beating the previously undefeated Cessnock. Westlakes were the only team to have a win against them.
Westlakes 14s team travelled to Camden for the weekend and finished second on a countback. Westlakes had only one loss and finished equal first on points with St George District.
With the support of coaches Natalie Carver and Sharon Naylor the girls shone over the three days to bring home the blue patch and move up to championship division in 2019.
With their shooter Crystal Eade shooting at 87 per cent, and the team scoring an incredible 323 goals, nothing was going to stop them.
The team’s defence was relentless and no matter how tall the opposition was they never gave up.
Westlakes’ 15s were also at Meadowbank Park and finished second, on countback, by a mere 0.38 points.
The nervous wait seemed to take forever as Netball NSW were calculating the results in what has to be one of the closest finishes. The blue patch and a position in division 2 in 2019 is theirs.
Coach Tracy Baldock and manager Angela Sullivan cried tears of relief and joy.
The girls’ hard work, determination and class shone through in their 17 games of netball with only three loses. The smiles on the girls’ faces said it all when they were presented with their patches.
Westlakes thanked the umpires that have been with the association throughout the representative season in 2018.
Without umpires Westlakes would not be able to enter as many carnivals as it does, nor prepare its teams so successfully.
