Courtney Byrne and Jessica Stapleton of Glen Innes will head to Maitland today as part of the NIAS Netball Squad to compete at the Annual NIB Games.
The games will be hosted by Hunter Academy of Sport, with 11 Regional Academies and Sydney Metro Squads also attending. Byrne and Stapleton will join nine others from the northwest region to compete at the Games from July 16 to 18.
The squad has been training hard with regional training days around the region, as well as recently competing in the Northern Inland State League. The team finished fourth in division one of the State League competition, playing commendable netball.
“The girls have had a great preparation this year improving continuously throughout the year, and working as a team when they have needed to” commented Head Coach Rochelle Joyce.
Byrne and Stapleton will be joined in the team by Amee Cameron (Narrabri), Jamie Fisher, Natahlia Green (Tamworth), Maddi Gardner (Gunnedah), Alex Kentish, Lilian Morgan (Armidale), Taylah Shearer (Moree), Samantha Maunder (Attunga) and Lauren Watkins (Inverell).
The NIAS Netball program has an intensive program for the remainder of the season. There will be three more regional training days to continue building on the development and refinement of netball skills and to continue building on their fitness.