Netball Victoria North East Talent Academy prepares for statewide tournament

Cobram under-15 talent Talia Pate will join forces with Barooga’s Keeley and Mackenzie O’Dwyer who ply their trade at Goulburn Valley League club Shepparton for the event.

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 other competitions like Ovens and Murray and the Murray league.”

A number of Goulburn Valley League talents will be 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.

“With Mackenzie (O’Dwyer) it’s just another pathway because she’s just played in the state under-15 school girls team - the under-17 state team which we’re trying for now will be the next pathway for her.

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.