When we wrote to you just over a month ago it was with a sense of optimism that, while things at the time were uncertain, we would soon rebound out of our Greater Sydney lockdown and get back on the court. As we all know, the COVID-19 situation has deteriorated to the extent that the level of uncertainty we are currently experiencing has unfortunately never been greater.
Netball NSW was forced to make the very difficult decisions to abandon the Premier League and Metro League competitions after it became clear that there was no chance for them to return. Similarly, the re-scheduled Junior State Titles have also been cancelled and the final rounds of some Regional League competitions are in danger of being abandoned. Our hearts go out to all of the players, umpires, coaches, managers, officials and administrators who put so much time and effort into a season, only to see it stop so abruptly. We can now only look forward to returning with a bang in 2022.
At present Netball NSW is clinging to hope that the COVID-19 situation in regional NSW will subside to enable a few remaining competitions to take place, such as the new Country Challenge, Regional State Cup, Academy Challenge and maybe even a scaled down Masters State Titles and Social Masters. We will be conservative in our decision making around these competitions – and all of our programs – always following the health advice at the time and most importantly remaining committed to ensuring the safety of our netball community. Please bear with us as we work on delivering what we can, whilst also making decisions in a timely manner.
Netball Associations all over the state have also had to make hard decisions in recent weeks. For Greater Sydney Associations in particular this has seen competitions cancelled as it now becomes clear that there is no current NSW Government sanctioned roadmap out of lockdown for community sport. More recently regional Associations have also had to deal with lockdowns just as the season is approaching its crescendo. We sincerely hope the break is a short one and that finals can be played in regional areas where safe to do so.
Our overwhelming reaction to Associations and Clubs at this time is one of gratitude. While Netball NSW works as quickly as we can to provide the most up-to-date information when health advice changes, we know that actioning that advice falls on the shoulders of volunteers. A heartfelt thank you to every one of our dedicated volunteers across the state for your ongoing commitment to our great game.
While the outlook remains uncertain, rest assured that at Netball NSW we are heavily engaged in discussions with our winter sporting code colleagues, particularly Football, Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL and Hockey as we constantly share ideas on a path out of the current predicament. That also extends to participating in forums with Sport NSW and a wider group of state sporting organisations, as well as the Office of Sport and the Minister for Sport, The Hon. Natalie Ward. Representations on behalf of Netball NSW have already been made to the Minister directly for a financial assistance package for the sporting sector in addition to providing support to the Office of Sport and the Minister in formulating a plan to ensure a timely return to sport. We will keep you updated with developments.
Thankfully there are some positives to report on at present, none better than the performance of our two SSN teams finishing first and second on the ladder at the end of the minor rounds, marking the first time in our history that we have had two teams in the top four. The one-two finish gave NSW a guaranteed grand finalist, with the NSW Swifts taking the first berth in the season decider in a nail-biter against GIANTS Netball. We know every netball supporter in NSW will be willing the GIANTS home on Saturday to set-up an unprecedented all NSW SSN Grand Final!
We must pay tribute to the teams currently in Queensland. This extends to not just the players, but coaches and the entire support staff who have been all over the country in the last six weeks as they have tried to outrun COVID-19 lockdowns, including NSW based umpires. It is a heavy sacrifice to leave home for such an extended period – for the second year in a row – which would make an SSN Premiership for one of our teams even more rewarding.
It was also outstanding to see so many of our SSN players selected recently in Australian squads. Eight players of the 21 selected for the Diamonds squad play in our SSN franchises meaning we make up 38% of the national squad. With a further four players selected into the Australian Development Squad it meant six Swifts and six GIANTS had been identified by national selectors. We are proud that the majority of those selected have come from our community Clubs and Associations, then through our pathway programs, which is a testament to the standard and quality of the NSW netball ecosystem. We congratulate them and wish them well for upcoming opportunities. To see the full release, click here.
Closer to home a significant milestone was reached on Monday 16 August when the new registration and competition management system PlayHQ went live, on schedule. PlayHQ will replace MyNetball in 2022 and this is the first step as a number of Associations now start a pilot phase. All Associations and Clubs will have the opportunity to undertake training on the new system in the next couple of months, enabling everyone to be ready to go live in 2022.
Netball NSW has also recently had its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. This has been a big project for our Community team and RAP committee, who we sincerely thank for their guidance and expertise throughout the process. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels as the RAP is launched – virtually of course – with a series of webinars over the next month.
There are undoubtedly many challenges ahead as we look to navigate our way out of the current COVID-19 pandemic. It will be difficult on many fronts, not least of all financially for our organisation as we endure the costs of the re-located SSN and lose the revenue that goes with running competitions, programs and welcoming crowds to Ken Rosewall Arena. Immediate cost control initiatives have been implemented at Netball NSW on announcement of stay-at-home restrictions and this remains a key area of focus as we continue to scenario plan and undertake our financial modelling. We have also made application for government support through the recently announced business support packages to assist in ensuring we are in a position to rebound strongly in 2022.
The last week has seen Netball NSW working closely with NSW Health to further support our community, and we are pleased to advise that our Netball Central facility is now the official NSW Health Workforce Training Hub for the next 4-6 weeks.
The Netball Central facility will be hosting up to 750 people a day as they undertake training to prepare people to work at Mass Vaccination Centres across the state. There are nurses, security guards, volunteers and administration staff all being trained within our netball home to help fight COVID-19 for our wider NSW community which is a real positive. I acknowledge the great work our venues team have done to facilitate this process and securing this important work with NSW Health.
We say it often, but there is nothing more important than the health and safety of our netball community. At this time we urge everyone to please follow the health guidelines and look to get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity. We have no clear indication of what a return to community sport will look like when it does open up, but it is clear that Netball can be a community leader in lending our voice within our communities to encourage people to get vaccinated.
Should you have any questions or require further clarification please do not hesitate to make contact with one of our fantastic staff members, who also continue to plan and prepare for a return to play, and will help in any way they can.
Stay safe and look after one another.
- Louise Sullivan, President - Netball NSW
- Tain Drinkwater, CEO - Netball NSW
