Special interest matter - Northern Tasmania Netball Association

Tuesday 9 November 2021

[11.20 a.m.]

Ms ARMITAGE (Launceston) - Mr President, Burlington Berries certainly has a ring to it. I just wish my blueberries grew as well as they do in some of those farms that we head off to.

Today I would like to speak about a fantastic organisation we are very fortunate to have in the state's north, the Northern Tasmanian Netball Association, and I am quite sure there are similar organisations around the state.

The NTNA encourages, fosters, promotes, develops, extends, governs and helps to control the sport of netball throughout northern Tasmania. It coordinates, it encourages, assists and supports legitimacy of the constituent bodies of the association, a number of teams and their cooperation with each other.

Playing sport, especially sports like netball, is fantastic for one's health. It reduces stress, encourages people to eat better, and live better and like any team sport, promotes cooperation, social cohesion and overall wellbeing.

I am sure most in this House, if not all, have played netball at some time.

Ms Rattray - I was the 1969 Junior Best and Fairest for the North Eastern Netball - or Basketball - then, Association.

Ms ARMITAGE - It must have been at the age of five.

Ms Rattray - It was at the age of 11.

Ms ARMITAGE - I think we have all played and we can all recall the skinned knees on the bitumen when we fell over. I am not sure if that has changed a great deal now, but it is a slightly better surface. Certainly, a good sport.

A lot of people participate in NTNA competitions in some way or another. During 2021, the midweek competitions comprised 20 rounds and three weeks of finals. The midweek competition in 2021 commenced in March with 66 teams competing across divisions one to seven, and 82 teams competing in the junior competition. That was absolutely amazing to be there and see the number of participants. It was quite amazing.

Formal teams from Launceston, Deloraine, George Town, Longford, Meander Valley and Derby, amongst many others, competed during the season, culminating in the finals on the weekend of 4 September, when the F45 Cavaliers faced off against the Knight Frank Northern Hawks. The Coastal Motors Devon went up against Cripps Waratah Netball Club in the open grand final.

I was also privileged to be able to sponsor and present an award at the NTNA end-of-season dinner for the junior sportsmanship achievers during the season. Along with the members for Windermere, and Rosevears, it was fabulous to see such a huge turnout to the finals weekend and awards night, and the immensely positive impact that the netball community has for our young people.

Whilst every player is worthy of commendation and acknowledgement, I want to highlight the achievements of the Gee Tees Netball Club who won the Club Sportsmanship Award, EvvieTaylor for winning the Carol Arkley award, Bianca Anderson for winning the NTNA Junior Umpiring Award, and Chantelle Batchelor for the Senior Umpiring Award. We all know how important umpires are. It is great to see a lot of people actually putting down and becoming umpires. Maybe it is something you can do when you can no longer play netball.

So many wonderful people play, coach, umpire and administer the NTNA that I simply cannot name them all, but I would encourage everyone here to take a look at all the winners on the NTNA Facebook page.

In October, the social roster commenced for people who want to play, who are not in the club, or who want to join the fun side of playing the sport, rather than the competitive side.

Maybe the member for McIntyre might be able to start playing again in the social.

Ms Rattray - I will leave that to my sisters and my grandchildren. They are better at it than I am.

Ms ARMITAGE - You could be Best and Fairest again in 2021.

Ms Rattray - I do not think they have an E division.

Ms ARMITAGE - But unlike going to the gym, playing netball means that you receive lots of support and encouragement from the rest of the players, which is absolutely what team sports are all about. I cannot wait to see what is in store for the association in 2022.