Dear Centre Members,

I hope you have all had a great start to the holidays.  We have been exceptionally fortunate to have had such a fantastic season so far, especially with those crisp, cold, and clear nights perfect for netball.

As we head into the business end of our Winter Competition, we have a lot of exciting updates, tournament wraps, and reminders for the coming weeks.

Rep Tournament Summary: U14 & U16 in New Plymouth

Our Under 14 and Under 16 representative teams recently returned from an incredible 3-day tournament in New Plymouth. It was a phenomenal experience for our young athletes, who gained invaluable growth in teamwork, resilience, and high-level match play.

A massive thank you goes out to everyone who made this campaign possible: our dedicated team management, officials, whānau, Centre management, sponsors, and the wider community. Your unwavering support drives the success of our pathway players!

Winter Competition: Road to the Finals

The competition is heating up! In A Reserve, B, and C Grades, the ladder is exceptionally tight with all teams vying for a place in the finals. Remember: all points count. If your team loses within 3 goals, you still receive a bonus point—which could effectively secure your team a spot in the finals!

Here is the schedule for the final weeks:

Future Ferns Festivals & Prize Giving

Friday, 31 July is going to be a massive night of exciting netball and celebrations! We will be hosting our Future Ferns Festivals and Prize Givings on this night. Please set aside some extra time to stay, support the teams, and celebrate everyone's achievements.

Key Initiatives & Acknowledgments

 Vote for the G.O.A.T!

We are launching the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Time) Initiative! Players in every grade can nominate the G.O.A.T player in their specific grade. Simply scan the QR codes around the courts to submit your vote.

• Cut-off Date: Friday, 24 July

 Celebrating our Year 8 Boys

We would like to acknowledge our Year 8 boys, as this is the final year they can officially play in our Winter Competition. We want to celebrate their time with us!

• Action Required: All school/club delegates, please fill out the Google Form [Insert Link Here] with the names of the Year 8 boys in your school or club.

Integrity, Culture, and Sideline Safety

At our Centre, we pride ourselves on integrity and wish to sincerely acknowledge everyone who gives back to make our community thrive.

As the finals approach and intensity builds, this is a respectful reminder that we have a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate on-court or sideline behaviour. Let's keep the atmosphere positive for our players and officials. Should any issue occur, please do not engage directly; address it to our Executive via your official club, school, or team delegate.

Looking Ahead: Post-Winter Competitions

 Meet in the Middle (August)

Planning is officially underway! We are excited to offer another competition structure for those wishing to continue playing through August.

• Eligibility: All teams who played in our Winter Competition are eligible to join.
• Cost: Free! There is no fee, and team members are not required to re-register.
• Umpiring: All entered teams are required to supply their own umpire.
• Full details and entry structures are attached to this email.

 Upcoming Tournaments

We look forward to supporting our local teams as they head away to major tournaments soon:

• College A Team: Preparing for UNISS, starting 31 August in Hamilton (running for one week).
• Year 7 & 8 Teams: Preparing for the Zespri AIMS Games.
• Club/School Teams: Heading to the Kurangaituku Tournament.

Thank you all for a spectacular winter season. Let’s finish these last two weeks strong, fair, and with plenty of Centre pride!

Best regards,

Dorothy Carr - Centre President

Audrey Greening - Draw Stewart

Next Committee meeting, all delegates invited.

Date:  Thursday, 23 July, 2026   Time: 6:00 pm Venue: Ōtorohanga Netball Centre