Sport
4 August, 2022
Maryborough FNC optimistic for future as netball development program pays off
There’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of the Maryborough Football Netball Club, with a finals appearance locked in for the 17 and under netball team in the Bendigo Football Netball League. A 35-22 victory over Strathfieldsaye...
There’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of the Maryborough Football Netball Club, with a finals appearance locked in for the 17 and under netball team in the Bendigo Football Netball League.
A 35-22 victory over Strathfieldsaye last Saturday confirmed the Magpies’ presence in the finals, with the club still holding an outside chance of earning the double chance.
Their game against third-placed Sandhurst tomorrow could yet prove pivotal in the run into the finals, with a victory bringing the Magpies to within half a game of the Dragons in the race for a qualifying final appearance.
However, 17 and under coach Alisha Chadwick is choosing to stay level-headed at the moment, while acknowledging that anything can happen in finals.
“It’s good to be in the finals and have a chance at winning the flag,” she said.
“I think the team is really coming together well. They’ve started to gel and work out how one another plays. I don’t feel like I have done a lot to help them with that, but the stuff we do is helping. The team gets along well, which goes a long way to their performance on the court as well.”
Chadwick says the development program that is in place at the Magpies is starting to pay dividends, not just in their 17 and under finals appearance, but also in elevating the standards at both A and B grade senior netball.
“We have our teams at the Maryborough Netball Association, and we also have a development team in Bendigo on Friday nights, which has helped us bring those girls to a level that is competitive with the BFNL, and we have some of these girls that have made their way through that team and playing in the 17s now,” she said.
“We have also been playing junior girls in our B reserve team, which has been good as we have a few experienced players to guide those girls, helping with their development, and, as a result, we’ve seen a real change in their attitude and performance on the court. It’s been a long time coming to build this all up, but it’s great to see.”
That level of development has seen the likes of Tali Chadwick, Abbey Nalder and Finley Wagstaff break through and make appearances in A grade during the season, something which has thrilled Alisha.
“Most of our 17s have been playing up and filling in for senior grades. One has been my daughter, Tali Chadwick. She has been playing up in A grade and helping out,” she said.
“Abbey Nalder is another one. She’s been very good in goals for our 17s, very accurate and has been our main goalscorer in our games.
“Finley Wagstaff is another one who has filled in for A grade, she’s been a defender with the 17s. It’s been good to recognise our girls’ performances and playing up in the senior grades, and giving them that opportunity as that’s where they will be playing next year. It’s also good to give them the confidence they can match it with the seniors as well.
“We have been mixing it up a bit in the last few games. We had kept it fairly consistent in the first half of the year, but we’ve brought in the likes of Megan Pritchard, who is one of the younger girls we had developed through B reserves and really proving herself to get a game in 17s as well. Bringing her onto the court, and trying different things in goals just so we have options if we have injuries or unexpected illnesses as we come into finals has been excellent for us.”
As the team looks ahead towards finals, Chadwick outlined the most important factor for success within her team.
“For me, it’s really important that the girls remain level-headed on the court, no matter what kind of pressure the opposition is giving or whether they don’t agree with an umpire’s decision, it’s important they still keep their composure and still play their game,” she said.
“It’s a huge achievement to have that in a group of 15, 16 and 17-year-olds and I think it helps them with their development on the court. If they can keep their focus and not let other factors impact them, they will go a long way with their netball.
“We have Sandhurst this week, which will be a fairly tough game, as well as South. We may have an opportunity to try different combinations moving into finals. I don’t want the girls to be complacent with their positions, either. It’s about them pushing themselves and keeping the standard up as we go into the back end of the season.
“We’re excited and hopefully we get a lot of support as we go through our finals campaign.”
The Magpies play Sandhurst at Queen Elizabeth Oval at 11.30 am tomorrow morning.