A Group of Magpies is called a Mischief - and ours is growing…
Welcome to Season 2024!
Now that grading is complete, the start of the season is just around the corner. Over the past year our Magpie Mischief has seen significant growth, both in our 2023 Spring Comp and again for the upcoming Winter season.
The NTNC executive has a one word goal for 2024 - Development.
As a community club we are excited to launch some new initiatives aimed at assisting the physical and mental development of all of our netballers - players, coaches, and umpires alike.
Why have we chosen ‘Development’ as our theme for 2024? In 2023 some of our Magpies had the opportunity to work with Diamonds Vice Captain and NSW Swifts Captain Paige Hadley. Paige is the definition of a professional athlete and the girls had a great time soaking up her knowledge and passion for her sport. What they didn’t know is that despite being one of the youngest Diamonds ever to debut her career has suffered setbacks, including a number of potential career ending injuries. Known for her work ethic, leadership qualities and on court smarts Paige has had to work her way back onto court, then into the Diamonds squad again and eventually to a vital part of one of the most successful international sporting teams in the world. Commenting on her epic climb back to the top, Paige said;
‘Take nothing for granted in sport and in life. I wanted to come back the same but better. I knew I just had to get back…for the team.’
Being a netballer isn’t always easy; its not a sport that gets a lot of attention, despite its enduring popularity. But netball is all about development; development of skills, of the team, of healthy minds and bodies and of real character. Development as a human being. When players and families join our club they gift us their time and energy, and in return we want to make an impact. We want to assist our Magpies to #FlyHigh. Here’s how we plan to do it in 2024.
Squad training every Monday evening at Canoon Road
This gives our players and coaches the advantage of synergy; challenging and learning from each other across age groups and divisions while providing a fun atmosphere. This is a crucial part of our development plan. You can find squad training times here. We also have a snack stand every Monday night to fuel our Magpies!
Launch of our Magpies Academy
We are so excited for the North Turramurra Netball Academy on Monday 4 March, allowing us to offer players that nominate an opportunity for extra coaching on specific court craft and skills. This year we are partnering with NetFit, an organisation run by ex professional netballers with vast amounts of experience at an elite level. The organisation was started by Sarah Wall, an ex professional netballer who played for the both the Vixens and Firebirds, and boasts a team of ex players and national coaches.
Coach the Coaches evening and ongoing development opportunities;
This event on Monday 4 March will offer assistance for our volunteers that give so much of their time and effort to helping develop our players. This event will be supported by NetFit, our new 2024 development partners.
Our newly launched Academy will also offer coaches an opportunity for their own development, along with weekly squad trainings. Seeing other coaches in action exposes us all to new ideas, styles and drills. To top it off, we are currently working on a coach’s area of the website which will have a range of resources available for our coaches.
We are still looking for a couple of coaches to fill out our roster - if you or anyone you know might be interested, please fill out the form here. You can be assured we will support our coaches in every way possible.
Umpiring Fast Track Program
NTNC has always had a strong umpiring program and in recent years we have become one of the largest suppliers of umpires to other clubs that sometimes struggle fill their roster.
In the past the vast numbers of volunteers we are lucky enough to have access to has sometimes meant that the opportunities for younger umpires new to the job can be more sporadic than we’d like, with regular Saturday games becoming less available.
Over the past year we have been working towards a solution that allows eager young netballers the opportunity to umpire more regularly, and to develop and thrive. We are excited to announce that in 2024 we will be working with Ku-ring-gai Netball Association (KNA) to offer anyone considering umpiring a ‘fast track,’ allowing them to get more regular games. If you or anyone you know would like to umpire, please fill out this form here.
Recognition for our wonderful volunteers
We are also launching a new NTNC Volunteer Reward Program. As recognition for your contributions our club has partnered with the NSW Swifts - whether you're a coach, manager, or tuckshop superstar you could be eligible for free Swifts tickets! The more you volunteer, the more tickets you earn, and the more unforgettable Swifts games you get to enjoy as a thank you from our executive and all of our players. To register as a volunteer click here.
Uniform shop
We have a new uniform ordering process this year which should reduce the hassle and allow for a smooth and seamless experience for our members. To visit our online store, click here.
And don’t forget our merch store with plenty of NTNC branded hoodies, training shirts, caps and water bottles available on our homepage here.
New Sponsorship
NTNC has engaged with plenty of new sponsors over the off season to get us all fit and ready for 2024! Most recently we have partnered with Add Style Home Additions who are sponsoring our Academy program. We have also aligned with Pain Away for first aid supplies, Black Tie Digital who assist with our communication and operational plans and Peer Play Gaming, all to optimise the Magpies netball experience. We are so grateful for all of our supporting partners and look forward to working with them in 2024.
POTM gifts
Net Set Go players will be rewarded this year with special surprises when they earn themselves a Player of the Match award. They can choose from stickers, hair ties and other trinkets after an outstanding performance. We are also working on a POTM version for our older junior players…stay tuned!
Communication
There are a number of ways for our community to stay in touch.
- Check in with the website for weekly updates and fixtures/results. You can also ask a question via the website.
- During the season we will also distribute our newsletter via email.
- For announcements, (wet weather, important dates etc) our Facebook Page is regularly updated.
- For more detailed information on socials, join our Facebook Group. In the group you’ll also be able to discuss game reports, photos and training details as well as find some at home training tips.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY; join our WhatsApp Group for the most up to date information and alerts. Of all our communication channels this will be updated the most frequently and quickly. We also have umpires and coaches chats if you need extra information for non player roles within NTNC.
With such a lot of positive change around the corner we are so looking forward to getting all of our players on the court for Round 1 - Fly High Magpies!
Kate Walther
NTNC President