Netball: A fest for achievers

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By  STEVE MENZIES

Achievements of young and senior players in the 2021 season were celebrated at the KFC Alice Springs Netball Association awards night last week.

They began with the Best and Fairest awards, from votes by the umpires after games all season, in all 11 grades.

The votes were pre-counted and the names of the leading contenders displayed on a big screen before the winners were announced. The amount of votes the players received were not revealed. 

Kaylee Walsh, from Sundowners, won the 13-and-under Division II award with Natalie Mupamhadzi, from Rovers, won Division I. It was a second Best and Fairest award to Mupamhadzi after being voted the Best and Fairest player in the grade last year.

Nellie Crellin won the Best and Fairest award for the 15-and-under grade after winning the award in the 13-and-unders in 2019 and 2020.

The Best and Fairest winners in the 17-and-under grades were Gabrielle Guest and Kristy Wapper.

The Trophy Central C-Grade winner was Georgia Antonioli, the B2 winner was Jacki Roybald and Shannon Pepper was the Trophy Central B-Grade winner while Eliza Boulton won the Club Eastside A-Reserve  award.

Rovers Complete Construction KFC A-Grade goal keeper Tracey Meekings was named the Best and Fairest player in the grade for the second year after winning the award in 2019.

Also presented on the night were three Rising Stars – Amelia Napier, Grace Muuir and Shelford.

The Rising Stars are young up and coming netballers who exhibit a high level of skill proficiency, a high work ethic, positive attitude, willingness to learn and ability to bring out the best in their teammates.

Isabelle Ross won the Cheryl Talbot Junior Development Award presented to a young player as having a true love of netball and displays good sportsmanship.

Sadie Jakubiszyn was acknowledged for attaining her national C-badge for umpiring. She, along with Orchid Crichton and Katie Thompson, participated in the 2021 Green Shirts Program.

Lily Muir was awarded the Ann Jacobs Umpiring Achievement Award for her significant contribution to umpiring in the association during the season.

The Team of the Year, selected from A-Grade and A-Reserve players in their positions, was named.

It was Carly Wilson (GS), Simone Tribe (GA), Ellie Herbert (WA), Katie Hannah (C), Lucy Nicolai (WD), Andriette Erasmus (GD) and Tacey Meekings (GK). Hannah and Nicolai retained their places in the team from 2020 while Nicolai and Meekings were in the 2019 team.

A new award, the Club Spirit Award, for the ASNA club which best displays the values of sportsmanship, commitment, dedication and playing in the ASNA spirit as elected by their peers, with voting from the club presidents, was presented to Sundowners Netball Club.

The President’s Award, to recognise someone who has made a significant contribution to ASNA, was presented to former president Robyn Donnelly for her efforts in coordinating the ASNA 50th anniversary celebration.

Although it was the presentation Night for the 2021 KFC ASNA season, it is not the end of netball for the year.

The next six-week Mixed Netball competition will begin on Wednesday, November 3 and finish on December 8. Team nomination forms can be found through the ASNA web page and facebook.

ASNA general manager Jay Scott-Hunter has urged teams to get organised with players and possibly a sponsor to pay the team nomination fee so the nomination could be lodged by Wednesday, October 20. All nomination fees must be paid by round 3,   

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