Netball Victoria North East Talent Academy prepares for statewide tournament

Preparing to take on the state’s other academies next week, team manager Kerry Kelton said the tournament was not about winning, but showing state team selectors what people can do.

“It’s about furthering their development — they first get their talent identified in other programs and lower levels,” Kelton said.

“There are six different academies and six different regions, each academy trains in their region monthly.

“We travel anywhere between Albury, Wangaratta, Benalla and Shepparton.

"It’s a really good thing for the girls to mix with girls from competitions like Ovens and Murray and the Murray league.”

A number of Goulburn Valley League talents are represented in the academy’s four teams on the day, with players from Shepparton, Shepparton United, Shepparton Swans, Mooroopna and Kyabram joined by a duo from Deniliquin and individuals from Cobram and Finley.

“The purpose of the tournament is for the Netball Victoria selectors to select their top 50 to be in a squad that will train for the state team the following year,” Kelton said.

“It’s great to have so many girls from the Goulburn Valley and it’s good for them to be in the program with girls that they already know as they’ve already formed that combination.”

With one of the main goals of the program to provide an avenue towards state and national representation, each of the local talents involved will be aiming to put their best foot forward in the tournament.