Construction work at Colombo Rd courts. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
NETBALL
GARY CAFFELL
The scheduled start to interclub netball in Wairarapa has been delayed.
Original intentions were to kick off things on Saturday with grading games for primary and intermediate teams but Netball Wairarapa centre manager Sandy Biel confirmed on Monday that will no longer be the case.
Plans now are for the those matches to be played on Saturday, May 12, with grading games for senior club sides also being put back one week, from May 12 to May 19 while premier one fixtures will get under way on Friday, May 25.
Biel said the change in starting dates came after discussions with the Bring It To Colombo Trust who are overseeing the construction of new clubrooms and courts at the centre’s Colombo Rd complex.
“There’s a lot of work going on and the trust thought a delay of one week might be wise and we were happy enough to go along with it,” Biel said.
Just how many courts will be available for regular play at Colombo Rd this season remains unclear but if the number is reduced to six by the time competition proper matches commence on May 26, which seems likely, then some primary and senior games will be played at Kuranui College.
However, when the other six courts are available, all senior games will revert to Colombo Rd.
The situation is similar for premier one with first round games to be played indoors but once the covered courts at Colombo Rd are ready for use, all matches in the top grade will be played there.
As to the number of teams contesting premier one this season, entries have been received from the six who competed at that level last year with Biel saying that could be increased if a couple of those in the lower grade grading games were deemed worthy of promotion.
“Eight is probably seen as the optimum figure for premier one but we will wait and see what the grading games throw up before finalising the numbers for this season,” Biel said.
