Mudgee region netball juniors and other young players across the state will be able to get back into action from July 1 under the government's new COVD-19 guidelines and some players are ready to get right back into it.
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Netball NSW expressed their frustration at the decision handed down this week by the state government allowing junior sports to resume but giving no word on when adults can begin playing.
Natasha Smith, Vice President of Mudgee District Netball Association told the Mudgee Guardian that these unexpected changes will have a major impact on netball in the region.
"It definitely impacts our Saturday winter competitions because we have juniors playing in senior division, so we have 15, 16 year olds playing in our top division against adults," she said.
"So for instance under 18s - it's still going to impact those junior players playing up so it will have a major impact on our association.
"We've already figured out our teams for the season, pre COVID, we already had our nominations. So we would have missed out on that. And their skill level would probably be too high for those normal players anyway so if need to reshuffle completely well we just might put off the season for the seniors quietly.
"Those bigger Sydney associations won't have that issue because they have more players to prevent that issue.
"I don't think anyone anticipated the season to be released this way, we anticipated that it would be across the board not just the juniors, so we didn't really have a plan b in place for this unfortunately."
Natasha said she understands what the government is doing for junior sport and mental wellbeing, but pointed out that it's just as important for adults too.
"I think they're trying to get the mental benefits from sport across to the kids from that perspective I guess, that it's a part of their wellbeing. But adults suffer from that as well, so I don't really understand it personally but you know, it is what it is," she said.
"Kids in my rep team, they're so keen to play. We've had people withdraw because they've changed the date of the state finals and people have other commitments on the same day.
"They just want to play, that's all they want to do, they want to train and get back into it.
"We're doing the best we can to try and make sure that our games go ahead. It's not about making a profit it's not about anything like that, we just want to make sure that our kids can play again. So that's what we're trying to achieve in all of this.
While Mudgee's Netball Association has taken the decision in its stride, Netball NSW doesn't believe that it's good enough.
There are many sporting organisations on the brink of insolvency who may now have to refund every dollar to senior players. It is a financial disaster for community sport.
- NETBALL NSW
The governing body for the sport have slammed the decision to only allow junior players onto the courts in a letter penned to the government just a matter of hours after Tuesday's announcement.
The letter says that senior players are the backbone of clubs, associations and competitions.
"Netball NSW has been proactive in working with stakeholders, including our valued clubs and associations, to ensure safe and innovative approaches are taken to competitions in 2020," it read.
"It is unfathomable that as shopping centres start to look like it's Christmas Eve, and pubs can allow up to 50 people, adults can't participate in sport."
Netball NSW unsuccessfully reached out for a meeting with either the NSW chief medical officer or health minister.
Netball NSW expressed the importance of communication and clarity from the government due to the game's financial situation.
"There are many sporting organisations on the brink of insolvency who may now have to refund every dollar to senior players. It is a financial disaster for community sport," they said.
"All sports need financial recovery assistance urgently. The State Government requested, and received, detailed financial information eight weeks ago, but no progress has been made.
"It is very important to note that Netball NSW is not in the business of profit to pay huge wages of a tiny minority of elite athletes at the pointy end. Our elite and community games share a deep bond, as last week's letter to the Premier highlighted."