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 Netball’s still going strong 

Netball’s still going strong

18 Sep, 2009 10:35 AM
THE Bega Netball Club will celebrate its 20-year anniversary with a dinner dance and presentation on Saturday, September 26 at the Bega Country Club.

More than 100 past and present players/club members are expected to attend with RSVP’s due by tomorrow to the clubhouse.

The formation of the club began in September 1989 with a meeting but lack of interest resulted in only six people showing up.

A second, successful meeting was held in February the following year with sufficient numbers to enable a committee to be formed, creating the base for the establishment of netball as a major sport in the Bega Valley.

The first competition started on April 28 where fees for U/15s was just $10 and $15 for over 16 yrs.

The club’s maiden raffle made a profit of just over $400.

The first year saw 250 members and 30 teams playing on grass courts at the rear of the Bega Primary School.

While the committee was appreciative of the support of the school it was a far from ideal situation.

When it rained play had to be cancelled due to the ensuing slippery conditions and even worse, flooding was a regular occurrence.

On presentation day the winners of the open division one, Robins played a social game against the committee team.

The committee side featured Jenny Atterbury (GK), Jo-Angela Boucher (GD), Leah Umback (WD), Heather Atcheson (C, now Compton), Diane Eden (WA), Christine Stanton (GA) and Sharlene Smith (GS).

Umpires were Christine Underhill and Julie Benny while the scorer was Julie Smith.

Inaugural committee:

Jo-Angela Boucher (club president), Julie Benny (vice-president), Diane Eden (treasurer), Leah Umback (secretary), Sharlene Smith (publicity officer), Heather Atcheson (insurance officer), Jenny Atterbury (recorder), Trisha Thistleton, Ms Umback and Christine Underhill (all fundraisers), Ms Benny, Debbie Senior, Boucher and Anne-Maree Carroll (all selection committee).

Original members Julie Benny, Anne-Maree Carroll and Sharlene Smith are still active within the club.

The club started their very popular twilight competition in November that year, playing on a Wednesday night.

The competition involved both mixed and womens divisions and at that time played 18 teams.

Matches were contested on grass courts and was co-ordinated by Heather Atcheson and Jenny Atterbury.

The present competition sees Julie Benny presiding over games.

In 1991, Bega entered the Sapphire Coast Association’s inter-club challenge between Merimbula, Eden and Bega.

Bega fielded two U/12 teams, one U/14 side, one U/16 team and two open teams with Ms Carroll winning the best and fairest in open division.

The club hosted their own carnival, making much needed funds, later that year.

A carnival has been held every year since, except for 1998 due to flooding of the courts.

The following year saw Bega players try out for selections in the Sapphire Coast representative teams.

Club members have continued to excel and today they are often a majority in many of the representative combinations as well as many coaches and managers over the years.

The club has produced several outstanding players in its brief history, including Australian goal-shooter Susan Pratley and the stand at the Bega courts is named in her honour.

In 1992 the courts committee formed with John Atterbury, Julie Benny, Graham Stanton, Jenny Atterbury, Phil Benny and Christine Stanton.

The club successfully applied for a regional sports facility grant worth over $100,000 from NSW Sport and Recreation in 1998.

Club t-shirts were introduced the following year and are still part of the uniform.

However the biggest upgrade came in 2000 when new member Suzanne Jeffrey focused her energy and commitment on achieving the construction of an all weather complex.

The aim became the major focus for the club and various fundraisers were conducted to raise the much-needed funding and the first club game was played on the new courts in July that year.

In September 2002, the clubhouse was officially opened and the club finally had its own toilet block.

The past two decades has seen many members come and go, including the passing away of committee members Leah Umback, Jenny Scullin, Jenny Atterbury, Heather Umback, Lorraine Rowley and Robyn Davis.

2009 committee:

Troy Mott (president), Trish Warby (vice-president, umpire convenor), Bev Tarlinton (minute secretary, gear steward), Sacha Mott (corresponding secretary), Julie Went (treasurer), Cathy Johnston (registrar), Linda Albertson (publicity officer), Lyn Barker (recorder), Sharlene Smith (purchasing officer), Julie Benny (twilight convenor) and Edna Duncanson (patron).

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