Epping Netball Club is planning for the future despite still having several weeks left to play of the Northern Netball League season.
The Pingers, who have teams in section four and seven, want to ensure a coming generation of players see their future with the club.
Club co-ordinator Kirsty Stilsby said increasing the number of junior girls at the club was one of the aims.
The Pingers already have a couple of young girls in their section seven side.
“We want to have three, four, maybe five sides in the next couple of years,” Stilsby said.
“We had a group of under-13s play in the under-17 competition the NNL ran a few years ago and [they] were runners up.
“Most have played rep netball … we want to try and hold onto them. Next year they will be old enough to play in the senior competition.”
As for this season, both the club’s sides are sitting inside their top fours.
“We are going OK so far,” said Stilsby, who plays in the section four side. “We won section five last year, so we have gone up to section four this season.”
The Pingers’ section four side returned to the winners’ list on Friday night with a 25-23 victory over Fitzroy Stars 2.
They had two losses and a draw in their previous three games and are second on the ladder.
“We still need to improve all over the court,” Stilsby said. “Sometimes we are making too many mistakes.”
She said a lack of height in the goal circle was something they struggled with at times.
But finals beckon for a team that lost only one game on its way to its premiership last season.
“There’s not a lot of difference between the two grades,” Stilsby said. “I have
not felt the difference in the levels too much.”
Diamond Creek continues to be the runaway leader in the top division with 12 wins from as many matches.
It’s three and a half games clear of second spot.
