Netball is roaring into life at Narre South Lions, with the club set to play their first season in the Cranbourne South West Netball Association this summer. City of Casey mayor Sam Aziz and councillor Bob Halsall helped open the club with future Lions’ netball stars Mackenzie and Eliza Fox and the popular Narre South Lion. 86655 Picture: JARROD POTTER
By JARROD POTTER
NARRE SOUTH LIONS have expanded their sporting horizons into netball with the formation of the Narre South Lions Netball Club in preparation for the upcoming summer netball season.
The club already has 88 players across 11 teams in the Cranbourne South West Netball Association (CSWNA), which exceeded club president Roger Palmer’s expectations.
“Basically what we were doing was we talked to the football club and they wanted to expand into netball,” Palmer said.
“We caught wind of a netball club and we have contacts with the football club and we decided to start it up.
“We felt we’d have about four or five teams and from there it has exploded to 11 teams from NETA (seven year olds) to under-17s.
“We have 88 players signed up already, with a few late sign-ups as well, so by the time we start our summer season in mid-October, we possibly could have 100.”
Palmer said the Lions’ first intake is a talented group and expects a few of the teams to play finals and vie for championships in their first season.
“With the ones that I’ve seen, we’ve actually got a lot of really talented group of girls on board,” Palmer said.
“There are a couple of rep girls who have come from other clubs and a lot of girls who have been associated with the football club are now coming back to play netball from other teams.
“There are some teams that we think will be pushing finals early on and we’ve got coaches who are well qualified and experienced, so we’re going to aim high.”
City of Casey mayor Sam Aziz and Cr Bob Halsall helped launch the club and announced the council would provide $1000 to help get the club off the ground.
“I congratulate the committee and the president of the Narre South Lions Netball Club on the initiative they’ve shown today to commence this new club,” Cr Aziz said.
“Given the love of the City of Casey for sport, that it’s always fantastic to see these new clubs emerge as it brings the community together and council is very proud of what this committee has achieved and it will be successful club.”
