Written by Amelia Barnes
Melbourne’s newest netball association has launched, providing more opportunities for players, umpires, and coaches of all backgrounds and abilities in the city’s northern suburbs.
Led by president Kasey Davis, Merri-bek Netball Association was created in response to the demand for more netball competitions and NetSetGO in Melbourne’s north.
“We noticed there was a huge hole in the area in terms of participation,” said Davis. “We saw a really good opportunity in this area in particular to provide support for the community and get this up and running.”
Merri-bek Netball Association provides an alternative to traditional Saturday-based netball competitions, instead hosting a Friday night mixed tournament with age categories ranging from under 11s to Opens, allowing the whole family to get involved.
The association’s home is Charles Mutton Reserve in Fawkner featuring eight courts with lights funded by the Inner City Netball Program. These courts are the largest facility to be completed under the Victorian government initiative to build more competition compliant netball courts across inner Melbourne.
New courts have been created at 19 venues (with two more projects underway) across the City of Darebin, City of Merri-bek, and the City of Yarra as result of the Inner City Netball Program, ensuring nobody is turned away from playing the game they love.
Creating a new netball association has been a goal of Davis’ for several years in her role at the VU Vultures Netball Club. Merri-bek provides another competition for VU Vultures players to participate in, as well as members of the Melbourne’s north who have lacked access to netball facilities and organised play.
“Our VU Vultures players get a lot of opportunities, so being able to put ourselves in another community that we feel like don't get the same opportunities was the goal of the association,” said Davis.
An introductory five-week ‘Festival of Netball’ is currently underway at Charles Mutton Reserve offering players a taste of what’s to come at Merri-bek Netball Association. Davis said the mixed competition has been a huge success, attracting close to 130 players across three age divisions.
Included in the competition are students from two schools in nearby Pascoe Vale, many of whom have never played organised sport before. These schools have received funding allowing students to participate in the competition free of charge.
“Watching them play, the smiles on their faces, and watching them get better has been really amazing,” said Davis.
In 2023, Merri-bek Netball Association will host a 14-round autumn season with Under 11s, Under 13s, Under 15s, and 17s/Open mixed divisions planned.
“We’re hoping that whole families will play,” said Davis. “You can come down on a Friday night, get some dinner at the canteen… watch your under 11 kid play, then your under 15 child, and then maybe you can get on the court, or umpire, or coach. It's just a really good family environment.”
Foundation clubs of the association are Strathmore Heights Netball Club, Fawkner Netball Club, and Port Melbourne Netball Club, with more invited to come on board.
The association will also be working closely with schools in 2023 to organise clinics introducing more children to netball, while providing opportunities for new umpires and coaches.
“We have a lot of kids coming up to us all the time saying, ‘I want to coach, I want to umpire’ and we just didn’t have a club pathway,” said Davis. “That was one of the reasons why it was important for us to get the association across the line.”
Davis says people can expect Merri-bek Netball Association to be an inclusive environment where everyone from kids to parents can get involved.
“We've found at other associations that it's perhaps a little bit more spread out—so seniors play on one night and juniors play on another day… We want to try and get rid of those barriers,” she said.
“Everyone can come down and have something that they can get out of the night rather than, the parents are just watching their kids or one of the kids missing out.”
Players of all religions and cultural backgrounds are supported, and the association works to eliminate socioeconomic barriers.
Based on her experience in the community so far, Davis is anticipating a great year ahead for Merri-bek Netball Association.
“The community atmosphere—I don't know if I've ever experienced it in any other area that I've been involved in,” said Davis.
“Helping grassroots netball and being able to see some of the kids that have played in the last five weeks that have never had the opportunity to play an organised sport has just been so rewarding.”
Learn more about Merri-bek Netball Association by contacting merri-bek_netballassociation@outlook.com or visiting their Facebook page
