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Message 40th AnnualPresentation Day1984 - 2024 1

It was my great honour to once again bePresident of the Club in 2024.I want to thank the Executive Committee for alltheir support of me as President this year.I would also like to acknowledge the ongoingand significant support of our major sponsor,Toongabbie Sports and Bowling Club for itsongoing sponsorship of Starlights.I want to thank the players, coaches, managersand parents for their support of the Club thisyear both on and off the court.I would like toespecially thank those parents that assistedwith our multiple Club Duty Days in respect tothe canteen, tower/ umpires control, set-up/clean-up and the Blacktown Carnival thisyear.We cannot fulfil these commitmentswithout your volunteering and ongoing supportand it is appreciated.We had 17 teams entered into the WinterCompetition this year including 1 Net Set GoTeam. I am pleased to say that we had 3 teams 13-4sand 15-4s, 17-1s teams play in the Grand Final,but unfortunately they were all runners up..I also wish to acknowledge and congratulateCarol Aitken, Bec Shaw, Deb Pooley, ClarePooley, Lilly Rossettin and Greg Hanson whojoined me in umpiring the final series this yearand did a fantastic job.2023PRESIDENT’SREPORT2

Awards and Representative HonoursIIt has been pleasing to see the following achievements of our players and umpires thisyear:Lilly Rossettin on receiving the Linda Eagleton Net Set Go Umpire of the Year 2024Lilly Rossettin on receiving her National C BadgeOlivia Atkinson on received the Rising Star representative player for 2024Matilda Needham – Gold Umpiring AwardGeorgia Needham – Black Umpiring AwardEllie Sibir – Black Umpiring AwardOlivia Horne – Black Umpiring AwardWe have also had players chosen for representative/ development teams for this year,2024:Clare Pooley – Georgia Hoswell - Olivia Atkinson - I wish all the girls who have trialled and made it into a BCNA dev/representativesquads and who will be trialling for Metro League all the best for future selection andtheir developmentWe are now one of the biggest clubs in BCNA.With continued growth we need morevolunteers to assist with the running of the Club. Our AGM was held on 19 November2024 and although pleasing to have volunteers forpositions, we are seeing the same people nominate and no new faces on the committeewhich is disappointing. If you have some time and would like to contribute please get incontact with us as many hands make light work.On-line registrations for Winter Season 2025 will commence from start of 1 December2024. For any boys and men looking to play, we will be actively seeking players for theWinter Season competition.I would also like to congratulate our Club Person of the Year, Belinda Bourne on heroutstanding contribution to the Club this year and in particular assisting us with ClubDuties in the Canteen. I pay tribute to all the volunteers that work so tirelessly on behalf of our Club includingthe members of the Executive, the coaches, the assistant coaches, managers, umpires,scorers. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.Next year we will be celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Starlights Netball Club so getinvolved and let’s make it the best year yet for our Club and sport! Yours in netballRachael Sutton 3

LIFEMEMBERS 1989 Shirley O’Malveney, Diana Cummings 1991 Maureen Mulcahy, Dennis Cummings 1992 Jan Connor 1993 Jenny Miskell 1994  Denise Price, Annette Davis 1997  Cathy Ball 2003  Robyn Wiggins, Ian Jack, Melanie Graham 2006  Julia Leahy 2008  Kathleen Hyland 2009  Michelle Barnes 2012  Jodie Hodge 2015  Martina Fletcher, Carol Aitken, Chris Nugent 2017  Allison Gazzard 2018  Rachael Sutton, Deb Pooley4

2024 COMMITEEMEMBERSPRESIDENTRachael Sutton VICE PRESIDENTSECRETARYCarol AitkenTREASURERNatalie WerchRESGISTERRebecca ShawUMPIRES CONVENTERCarol Aitken COACHES COORDINATORLilly RossettinFUNDRAISING OFFICERNatalie LetteEQUIPMENT OFFICERUNIFORM OFFICERRebecca ShawNatalie LetteMORE THEN 10 YEARSOF SERVICECurrent Members Only 22 years Carol Aitken 15 years Megan Wright 14 years  Deb Pooley 14 years  Rachael Sutton 14 years  Tarni Sutton 13 years  Keira Gledhill 13 years  Clare Pooley 13 years  Grace Pooley 12 years  Natalie Lette 11 Years Rebecca Shaw 11 Years Sophie Shaw 11 years Jessica Norris5

We are pleased to announce that the Club Person ofthe year for 2024 is Belinda Bourne.The Club Person of the year is awarded to a Starlightthat has gone above and beyond for theClub.Volunteers are an essential part of our club, andthe club cannot run without our many volunteers.Belinda has taken on many additional unofficial dutiesin 2024 which include Canteen Supervisor and DutyDay helper. Both her daughters have taken onadditional duties this year and they would not havebeen able to fulfill those duties without the supportof Belinda. She has been there beside them during alltheir coaching sessions providing support to both herdaughters and the team members. The qualities that have been listed on the responsesshow why Belinda has been selected as this yearsClub Person of the Year are –Belinda has taken on additional driving duties toassist picking up and dropping of girls when theirparents are unable to make it. Belinda was alwaysthere to lend a helping hand.Belinda is always willing to help and support theclub when needed, including help with the dutyday and uniforms.Belinda is willing to step up and give a hand whenrequired. She demonstrates positive support onthe side lines for our players.Belinda has been a mum not only to her two girlsbut helps any child at Starlights who may needhelp. With her own daughters also helps them toumpire and coach - she wants all of us youngones to shineCongratulations Belinda on being awarded the ClubPerson of Year for 2024.CLUB PERSONOF THE YEAR6

JOAN SOOKEE AWARDRACHAEL SUTTONBCNA RISING STAR AWARDOLIVIA ATKINSONBLACKTOWN NETBALL ASSOCIATIONAWARDS7Congratulation to Rachael Sutton, Our StarlightsPresedent for recieving the BCNA Joan SookeeAward. The "Joan Sooke Award" recognizes outstandingservice to netball in the Blacktown area. Theassociation has established a scholarship fund toenable two junior players to be selected each year toattend the New South Wales Talented Players’Camp. This fund was created in memory of Mrs.Pauline Wilson, who passed away during the 1986winter season. She is remembered with sincereappreciation and deep affection for nearly 20 years ofdedicated service to netball.Congratulations to Olivia Atkinson forreceiving the BCNA Rising Star Award!Olivia currently plays in our Starlights17'1s and has been selected to representthe BCNA 15 development side for2024. The Rising Star Award ispresented to a representativedevelopment player who demonstratesthe most improvement or promise.

BCNA SENIOR UMPIRE OF THEYEAR 2024LILLY ROSSETTINOnce again, I would like to thank all theumpires who have umpired for Starlight’s in2024, ClarePooley, Deb Pooley, Lilly Rossetin, RachaelSutton, Rebecca Shaw, Greg Hanson, GeorgiaNeedham,Matilda Needham, Ellie Sibir andOlivia Horne. .As I say every year, the competition cannot runwithout umpires. Special congratulations to Lilly Rossetin whoreceived her National C badge during the 2024season. Lilly was named as the BCNA SeniorUmpire of the year for 2024, which is a hugehonour. Congratulations Lilly.Thanks to all our umpires that umpired at repcarnivals in 2024, including both Senior Stateand Junior State Titles. Special thanks to theStarlights Umpires who umpired finals series in2024.We welcomed some young umpires to the Clubin 2024 Georgia, Tilly, Ellie and Olivia, theseyoung umpires are the future of the game. Welook forward to seeing you progress with yourumpiring journey.I appreciate you all, as you are always willing tohelp when asked. We are lucky to have suchgreatumpires at our Club.GO STARLIGHTSCarol AitkenUmpires Convenor.UMPIRESCONVENOR REPORT8

2023 BCNAREPRESNTITIVESClare PooleyBCNA Metro-LeagueTeam 4 Summer SeriesGeorgina HoswellTeam 4 Summer SeriesOlivia AtkinsonBCNA U15's Development Team9

All coaches at Starlights are volunteers, including parents, talentedplayers, and enthusiasts without children in the competition.Coaches train teams for one hour per week during the winternetball season and prepare teams for matches at the BlacktownNetball Association each Saturday for about 1.5 hours.COACHINGVOLUNTEERINGINVITATIONManagers play a vital role in supporting both coaches and players.They coordinate team communication, serve as a liaison betweenparents, players, and the management committee, and organizelogistics for game days, including registration and scorecardcompletion. Most managers are parents of players and ensureeveryone knows their schedule and responsibilities.MANAGINGWE NEED YOU!Starlights Netball Club is a community-based sporting organizationfully managed and operated by volunteers. The club's viability andsuccess heavily rely on the contributions of its members. The rangeof skills and time required is broad from annual roles on thecommittee, seasonal roles in coaching, managing, umpiring, andorganizing social events. Even a few hours of help in UmpiresControl or at the canteen can make a big difference. Participationisn't just a girl thing – the more guys/Dads who are involved, thebetter. The Starlights community is a special one and our netballclub is a great way to meet new people. Here are some areas tothink about: 10

We can never have too many volunteers! If managing or coaching isnot your thing, there are plenty of other opportunities such as the“Behind the scenes” roles and becoming a committee member &joining our committeeCommittee positions include:President: Provides leadership, direction, and coordination forclub activities.Vice President: Assists the President in leadership andcoordination.Registrar: Manages player registrations.Secretary: Handles incoming and outgoing mail, schedulesmeetings, and records minutes.Treasurer: Manages finances, including payments, invoicing,budgeting, and monthly financial reports, while liaising withauditors to meet legal responsibilities.Coaching Convenor: Supports coaches and managers, overseescompletion of coaching courses, and communicates importantinformation from the Blacktown Netball Association (BCNA).Equipment Officer: Organizes team equipment at the beginningand end of the season and purchases extra equipment as needed.Umpire Convenor: Supports umpires on game days and preparesthe weekly umpire roster.Uniform Officer: Manages the purchase and sale of club uniformsand merchandise.Fundraising Coordinator: Identifies fundraising opportunities,organizes events, and supports club captains during fundraisinginitiatives like the Downey Park Fundraiser Day.Publicity & Promotions Officer: Maintains the club’s website andsocial media, ensures content is updated, manages emailaccounts, and oversees arrangements with the web provider.Starlights Committee positions for 2025 have been filled. However,please feel free to email Starlights if you have any questions orwould like more information regarding positions for 2026.JOIN THECOMMITTEE11

UMPIREIt is now a requirement of NSW state law that all coaches whodon’t have their own child playing in the team they arecoaching are certified with a Working With Children Check.This is done online via the Office of the Children’s Guardian andafter completing the straightforward form, you then need totake your driver’s license to a Service NSW branch forverification. There is no charge for volunteers to be certified andthe check takes anything from a few days to four weeks to beprocessed and lasts for five years. The club then must keepeach coach’s certification number on file. It’s not that arduous atall and is in the best interest of the kids. WORKINGWITHCHILDRENCHECK Anyone interested in developing their netball umpiring skillscan begin by completing the Rules of Netball TheoryExamination, with support available from the Umpire Convenor,Carol, and other senior umpires. Umpires can also pursueaccreditation courses if they want to advance further in theirskills. Starlights compensates our umpires, making it a greatopportunity to earn some extra money.12

A coach can impact more lives in oneyear than most people will in a lifetime.Without our amazing coaches, ourplayers wouldn’t have a season, amentor, or a support system. Starlights is incredibly grateful for ourdedicated team of volunteers who, weekafter week, give their time to plan andrun training, organise game days, andcheer from the sidelines. This season, we were thrilled towelcome back our returning coaches:Rachel, Carol, Greg, Tarni, Catherine,Bec, and Clare. Your dedication eachyear doesn’t go unnoticed—you play apivotal role, and your commitmentinspires our players, committee, andmembers. Thank you for everything youdo, and we hope to see you back for our2025 season!This season, we had the pleasure ofwelcoming Lenore to our club. Thankyou for all the effort you put in—wehope you enjoyed your first season as aStar and look forward to seeing youback next year!COACHINGCOORDINATORSREPORT13

THANK YOU!On behalf of the Starlights Netball Club - thank you to our TeamManagers and all of our parent volunteers who have helped out withduties this year & in the Canteen. Also a big thank you to Fonya Rotunnofor the donation of lolly bags for our NSG teams. As a club, we rely heavilyon our community of volunteers and club members. Please know your helpdoes not go unseen and we truly appreciate all the help provided. GoStarlights!!!!! To our next generation of coaches—Ellie, Georgia N, Georgia H, Tilly, andJess—congratulations on completing your first season! We hope youfound this year valuable as you learned from your mentors Greg, Carol,Tarni, and myself. We're excited to support your journey and watch youbuild confidence and knowledge.We have no doubt you'll excel in inspiring our next generation of stars.We look forward to working more closely with you next year and seeingyou shine as you continue your learning journey.Coaches are the heartbeat of our sport and help our club thrive. We'realways looking for passionate individuals to join our coaching team. Ifyou're thinking about starting your coaching journey in 2025 or are readyto return to coaching, please reach out to me—we’d love to help you getstarted!Until next year, Lilly14

17-1'S GANDFINALISTSTeam - Olivia Atkinson, Kate Blanning, Aaliyah Dawson,Georgia Hoswell, Matilda Needham, Jessica Norris, Sophia Shaw,Amelia Manks.COACH - REBECCA SHAWMANAGER - FELICIA SWINTONCOACHES AWARD - GEORGIA HOSWELLPLAYERS PLAYER - OLIVIA ATKINSON1517’s Div 1We have a great group of girls who continue to grow.The team had an up and down year with the girls being allocated Div 1.However, they continued to put everything out on the court everyweek.Once again they found themselves in the grand final and whilst it maynot have been the resulted they wanted, each girl played their heart outand fought till the lastwhistle.A big thank you to all those who helped me out this season, Felicia asmanager, Nat for filling in for me when I was overseas and thosecheering on the girls each week.A special thank you to our fill in players this year from across otherStarlights teams.Thank you to the mums, dads, and everyone who supported the girl’sweek in week out. You brought that extra encouragement that allowedthe girls to play their best.Hope to see everyone return for 2025.Bec & Flee.

15-4'S GRANDFINALISTSTeam - Avni Anugu, Sai Shloka Reddy Jayavrapu, AanyaMunugala, Olivia Horne, Phoebe Savage, Shirin Agarwal, IshinkaBrahmbhatt, Valencia D’SouzaCOACH - REBECCA SHAWMANAGER - PLAYERS PLAYER - AANYA MUNUGALA 16U15’s Div 4The girls had a fantastic season.They worked extremely hard all season to make it all the way to thegrand-finals; unfortunately, it was not the result we were hoping for butthe girls played well and I am extremely proud of them.A big thank you to all the girls for showing up each week to give it all theyhave and for an enjoyable 2024 season.Thank you to all those who helped me out this season, especially Lilly whofilled in for me when I was overseas.The last thank you – thank you to the mums, dads, sisters, brothers,aunties, uncles, grandparents, nieces, nephews, friends to all whosupported these girls week in week out. You are a part of this team andyou helped make this team a great teamfor 2024.Bec

13-4'S GRANDFINALISTS Team - Emma Choufani, Bhavya Sri Pagadala, Prapti Sonani,Mihika Verma, Swara Dudhat, Ashmita Lal, Thiviya Pathmanabhan,Aarya Patel.COACH - MATILDIA NEEDHAM & JESSICA NORRISMANAGER - JOSILIN KALIFACOACHES AWARD - THIVIYA PATHMANABHAN MOST IMPROVED - MIHIKA VERMA 17We may not of won the gold medal but we came so close and we won in somany other ways!!!!2024 was pretty much the year of firsts for this team. A team who had notplayed together before, some players had never played netball before andsome players had not thrown a ball before - let alone tried to shot a goal ortake a centre pass.At the beginning of the season, it was basic netball, throwing a ball to eachother, taking a pass & not stepping, finding space, being an option andtrying to get that ball into the circle to aim for a goal.Each week the team improved and trusted each other. The girls trainedevery week, they came to training with smiles on their faces and theywanted to learn and have fun. At times there was frustration, nail bitingmoments and laughs along the way – but we all had fun, we learnt how toplay play netball and the girls always played with great sportsmanship notonly to each other but to the other team and respected the umpires.Well Done Under 13’s – you played, you had fun and we hope to see younext year as we as your coaches are proud of each and everyone of youTilly & Jess

Div 3 FINALISTSTeam - Keira Gledhill, Christine Lette, Tarni Sutton, Clare Pooley,Sania Dalal, Amber Widdison, Megan Wright, Lilly Rossettin,Natalie LetteMANAGER - DEBBIE POOLEYPLAYERS PLAYER - KEIRA GLEDHILLThis season started well sitting top of the ladder after the 1st Roundbeating all teams in our division. Then we faced rained out games, byesand holidays which put a halt to our momentum and saw us struggle atthe back end of the season. Our strong start however saw us still finishthe regular competition in 2nd place. We weren’t able to overcome ourrun of losses to the stronger teams and lost both our Qualifying andPrelim Final. Despite the result not being what we set out to do Icouldn’t be prouder of the team. We fought hard in our last game inwhat was a very physical match and the girls never gave up. Everyoneleft everything out on the court. Hopefully next season we can go astep further and clench the premiership title. Thankyou ladies for agreat season. Deb - Manager 18

The U11s had their best season to date this year! This season I saw a majorimprovement of skills in every single player both individually and as a team.This year, the girls really bonded and found incredibly strong game play.In the past, despite their best efforts and great determination, the teamstruggled to win many games. Yet, for the 2024 season the girls workedharder than they ever have before and showed a competitive side I havenever seen from them before, making it all the way through to preliminaryfinals!!I am so incredibly proud of every single girl on this team! They managed tohave so much fun and shared many laughs, making my Wednesday nightsand Saturday mornings so much brighter. Thank you to all the parents, especially Vikas, our manager, for yourincredible support and making my job so much easier. And the biggestthank you and congratulations to my 11s, I love you guys so much!Clare Pooley - Coach11-2'S FINALISTS Team - Aleigha Borg, Elizabeth Franke, Harshika MohanKumar,Anisha Nallabolu, Charlotte Quelch, Shaniya Kapoor,Mirthiga Vinothan, Sophie Walton, Isabella WoodleyCOACH - CLARE POOLEYMANAGER - VIKAS KAPOOR COACHES AWARD - SHANIYA KAPOOR MOST IMPROVED - SOPHIE WALTON 19

TWhat an exciting season we hadI'd like to thank Kate for coaching with me this year, i've really enjoyed andappreciated your support and contribution, you brought something extra to theteamThis season we also got to welcome some new friends to the team, Alice,Gabriela, Riya and Vaishini. For some it was their first time playing netball whileothers had to adjust from modified rules to regular rules, which theyall did so well. It was such a delight to see everyone learn and grow so much asindividuals and as a team. The support for each other was clear to see fromhaving a chat and a laugh at training to cheering on from the sideline on gameday. We are extremely proud of how hard the girls tried throughout the wholeseason, never giving up. Some even turning up to game day despite feeling sickbut not wanting to let the team down. This hard work and determination got usto the semis.A big thank you to Glenys and Caitlin, our team's awesome team managers, fortheir support and help throughout the year, we couldn't do it without you.Thank you parents for supporting Kate and I our great little teamHope to see everyone back next year.Team - Sarah Felice, Brooklyn McEntee, Amelia Perera, ShreyaaSwaminathan, Yasheeka Verma, Alice Petrescu, Gabriela Cetinic,Riya Shanmuga Sundaram, Sai Vaishini PragashCOACH - CATHERINE FELICEMANAGER - GLENNYS MCENTEE & CAITLIN FONTICOACHES AWARD - GABRIELA CETINICMOST IMPROVED - ALICE PETRESCU10-2'S FINALISTS 20

As I wrap up my first season coaching this incredible team, I couldn’thave asked for a better group of ladies. Each player demonstratedremarkable skills, sportsmanship, and a positive attitude. Through thelaughter, sweat, and tears, the girls had an unforgettable season.Despite often playing with just seven players, we achieved animpressive third-place finish. One of the highlights was our thrillingsemi-final, where the final quarter kept everyone on the edge of theirseats as we went goal for goal. In the closing minutes, weunfortunately lost our center pass, allowing our opponents to scoreand ultimately sealing our fate with a two-point loss.The girls gave it their all on the court, and I certainly left my voicebehind in the excitement! What a season it’s been! I can’t wait to seeall of you return next year as we take on the challenge of our firstseason in seniors.Thanks Lilly17-3'S SEMI-FINALISTSTeam - Lily Briffa,Tarini Reddy Thirumala, Zoe Atkinson, IsabelMcManus, Priyanka MohanKumar, Jacintha Prasad, TarikaRamanan, Rochelle Saldanha, Ayva - Rae YounesCOACH -LILLY ROSSETTINMANAGER - KARINA BRIFFAPLAYERS PLAYER AWARD - ZOE ATKINSON,2117-3'SCongratulations

14-4'S SEMI-FINALISTSTeam - Charlotte Byrne, Nishi Dudhat, Aarvi Gohil, Saanvi Goyal,Anusha Kulkarni, Gaviyaa Mangaleswaran, Sophie Shaw, SummerAiken, Shrika Saineni, COACH - GREG HANSONMANAGER - COACHES AWARD - CHARLOTTE BYRNE MOST IMPROVED AWARD - SOPHIE SHAW We had a great season making it to the first week of finals by 1point it was very close all season, even though we had a lot ofinjuries and illness, I am very proud of the team they all pulledtogether especially the days we only had 6 players for some ofthe games, I wish the Girls all the luck for 2025 for a greatseasonCoachGreg Hanson22

13-3'S SEMI-FINALISTS Team - Saachi Bakshi, Roshan Golagani, Jasmine Holst, AathmikaNanthapoopan, Gayatri Paranjpe, Sarah Quelch, Shubha Rathi,Sridheeptha Sampalli, Tanushi Minhas,COACH - CAROL AITKEN & GEORGIA NEEDHAMMANAGER - LOUISE QUELCHCOACHES AWARD - SAACHI BAKSHIMOST VALUEBLE PLAYER - SHUBHA RATHI Starlights Team 10 13 Div 3.We made it to the Semi Finals in 2024 but unfortunately, we did notwin and did notprogress to the finals. We gave it our best shot but hopefully next yearwe can get our acttogether and take it all the way.This year we welcomed Georgia into the team as an Assistant Coach,Georgia did anawesome job and I want to thank her for all the work she did, whichincluded stepping in forme when I was not able to make it.Thanks again to Louise our Fabulous Manager and to all the parents forbringing the girls totraining and the games.Looking forward to doing it all again in 2025.Carol Aitken23

12-2'S SEMI-FINALISTSTeam - Emily Go, Scarlett Horne, Jenny Hur, Adelyn Kari, LucyKeegan, Isabella Kennedy, Eliza Kim, Leanne Makil, Sai LuxmiePragash, Annabelle SmithCOACH - LENORE KENNEDYMANAGER - BETH SMITHCOACHES AWARD - ELIZA KIMPLAYER’S PLAYER - EMILY GOThe 12/2 team embarked on their inaugural season both with Starlights and inparticipating in a graded netball competition. Transitioning from a year of undefeatedplay to facing opponents with significantly higher skill (and height) levels proved tobe a steep learning curve for our girls. Having been accustomed to winning againsteasier opponents, we sometimes struggled to shake off complacency and bad habits.However, the girls demonstrated remarkable determination and resilience, workinghard to improve week by week. By Round 7, the prospects of reaching the semi-finals seemed daunting. Despite this,the Sharks exemplified tenacity and fought fiercely, securing consecutive wins thatultimately earned them their place in the semi-finals. Although the team weredefeated in the semi-final round against the eventual premiership winners, thisoutcome is a testament to the strength of the competition they faced. Many thanks is extended to the Starlights club for welcoming the 12/2 team andproviding an environment that encourages growth and determination. Specialmention to Greg who helped me as a new coach to the club, and helped our girlswith honing their skills. This season may not have concluded with a championship, but the lessons learnedand the spirit of perseverance displayed will carry the team forward into futurecompetitions. Looking ahead, the Sharks are excited about returning in 2025 to buildon their experiences and continue their development. Thanks,Lenore Kennedy24

Div 4Team - Ayah Azrag, katrin Azrag, Ami Dave, Chloe Dela Torre,Salote Fekitoa, Tanisha Nizic, Olaa Saad, Kelesi TongatuaMANAGER - OLLA SAADPLAYERS PLAYER - AYAH AZRAGPLAYERS PLAYER - OLAA SAAD25DIV 4Congratulations

Div 5 Team - Jasmine Bird, Trinity Bird, Jessica Crowle, Laeticia Hossack,Robyn Jarabe, Leah Medved, chelise rogers, Sienna Rowe, MelissaStewart.COACH - RACHAEL SUTTONMANAGER - CATHRYN CROWLECOACHES AWARD - JASMINE BIRDMOST VALUBLE PLAYER - MELISSA STEWART.26This year was the first year playing in a Senior grading of thecompetition. We welcomed a new player and a former oneback to the team and Club. The girls trained hard andsupported each other through the season and really enjoyedtheir netball this year. We missed out on the finals series thisyear but we hope to give the seniors a good shake andlooking forward to seeking what the team can do next year.Congratulations to Melissa Stewart (MVP) and Jasmine Bird(Coaches Award) on your awards.I enjoyed very much enjoyed coaching you. Thanks to CathrynCrowle for managing the team and assisting me this year youdid a great job! Looking forward to seeing you all back nextyear!DIV 5Congratulations

15 DIV 4Team - Jahnavi Mistry, Sri Dhruti Pagadala, Anya Patel, MadhaviPatel, Abeena Sathanesan, Amelia Walker, Tekura Wuatai, AlisonWyatt. COACH - RACHAEL SUTTONMANAGER - COACHES AWARD - SRI DHRUTI PAGADALAMOST VALUBLE PLAYER - ALISON WYATT. 27We welcome a number of new players to the club this season,forming a new team for Starlights. We had a bit of a mixedseason, with good success when we were able to field a fullteam on the court. I enjoyed very much coaching you andgetting to know you all. Congratulations to Sri Druti Pagadala (MVP) and Alison Wyatt(Coaches Award) on your awards.Looking forward to seeing you all back next year!

14 DIV 1 Team - Georgia Giannakos, Piper Lillia, Erin Mulligan, Riya Parikh,Shyla Rogers, Ellie Sibie, Georgia Needham, Alycia Stewart, MiaStewart, Shyla Rogers, Ellie SibirCOACH - TARNI SUTTONMANAGER - BETH STEWARTCOACHES AWARD - MIA STEWARTPLAYERS PLAYER - GEORGIA NEEDHAM,28It think it would be fair to say this season has taught these girls a lot of valuablelessons and although for the most part this season has been one of the morechallenging seasons the girls can walk away with the head held up high and thedetermination to fight their way back up to the top.It has been a very different season to what the girls are used to, for the last two yearthese girls have been premiers and winning almost each match on game day. Movingup from DIV 2 to DIV 1 is always a challenging transition and tests the girlsmentality and determination. At the start of the season the girls took the transitionpretty hard, as they were use to a certain level and weren’t as challenged beforemoving up into DIV 1. This meant that the girls couldn’t just rely of what skills theyalready had and need to improve their overall game smarts and skills in order totheir competitors. I can confident;y say that I have seen immense grow in the girlsgame this year, more so than that of previous years. They fought for every win, goaland intercept they got this year and I could not be prouder of the way they havecarried themselves and their attitude on and off the court.I’d like to thank our Manager Beth, for organising the time sheet and player cardevery week as well as communication about events and training during the season. Iknow the team and myself really appreciate you and your time.Thank you to the parents for your support and encouragement throughout theseason, even when the results weren’t what we were hoping for your kindness andpositivity never once went unnoticed and I know the girls appreciate all of your timeand effort to make their sports happen.It has been an pleasure coaching the girls again this year and I cant wait to see whatthey can do in the upcoming season and the confidence and skills they can bring tothe DIV 1 competition in the 15’s.

12 DIV 1Team - Amelia Felice, Amaleah Finau, Audrey Giddings, OliviaHoswell, Divya Kapoor, Keshika Tharmanesan, Andrea Dragic,Jaylah Turner-MartinCOACH - GREG HANSONMANAGER - KATE HOSWELLCOACHES AWARD - OLIVIA HOSWELL MOST IMPROVED - ANDREA DRAGIC It was a hard season this year playing up in Div 1, the girls played outtheir hearts each and every week, always had a big smiles and the loveof Netball always shone through during games and training, I wish theGirls all the luck for 2025 for a great season CoachGreg Hanson29

12 DIV 3Team - Olivia-jane Cooper, Addison Gall, Maya Godoy Vernot,Nicole Perera, Pragathi Prathap, Nikitah Ramesh, AnastasiaRichardson, Paarvati Thevendran, Faith Tsui.COACH - CLARE POOLEYMANAGER - MICHELLE VERNOTCOACHES AWARD - PAARVATI THEVENDRAN MOST IMPROVED - OLIVIA-JANE COOPERThis season, being the first time that many of these girls had everplayed netball, let alone as a team, the U12s showed incredibledetermination. From our first game to our last, I saw a hugeimprovement in the game that each girl played!Throughout the year, the girls made incredibly special bonds with eachother and you could never catch them without a smile on their face.Despite not being successful in many of our games, the team nevergave up and fought to the final whistle every single Saturday. Thank you so much to all the parents, especially Michelle, our manager,who showed incredible support for the team! And thank you so much tomy 12s, I love you guys so much!30

NSG 9'STeam - Jansi Brahmbhatt, Helen Griffiths, Kara Hamal, HannahJackson, Smithika Ponnoju, Mia Sanber, Zemara Samber,Tanishkha Santosh, Charli Touma, Acacia Tsui, Sienna Tsui.COACH - TARNI SUTTONMANAGER - 31For many of these players, Net Set Go competition is their first experiencebeing part of team. It has been a privilege to watch the girl’s netball skillsand confidence in a competitive, yet supportive environment grows. Thesegirls have come so far from the start of the season many of them closed offhowever seeing the way they have bonded as a team has been veryrewarding. As well as watching many of them improve their fundamentalnetball skills such as passing, shooting, footwork, and defensive has madetheir flow down the court during games and overall understanding of thegame exciting to watch.Throughout the season the girls stayed positive through both the highs andlows of the season, always lifting each other up and supporting their fellowteammates when the game didn’t necessarily go to plan. We always madesure to celebrate the little wins, such as a goal or a good pass or some skillfull defence.I would also like to shout our Manager Ramez, thank you for volunteeringand giving up your time each week, always making sure the time sheet andplayer card was done correctly. Without your support game day would nothave run as smoothly as it did.I’d also like to thank the parents, for bringing the girls down for training eachweek, going to the effort of selling the chocolates during the season and theoverwhelming support during game day matches for your girls.It has been a pleasure coaching this bunch of girls and I can’t wait to seewhat the future holds for them on and off the netball court.

STARS OF THE FUTURENSG SKILLSThis season we saw 1 Net Set Go Skills player 1 who enjoyed theprogram run by the Blacktown City Netball Association. Net Set GoSkills is a 10-week program to introduce 5-7-year-olds to Netball.A number of last year's future stars moved into our 8-year-old team this season and we hope our NSG Skills players dothe same next season.We hope they all had a fantastic time and learned lots of netballskills that will start you on your way to playing with Starlights in theseasons to come and becoming our future Stars32

MEET OUR SPONORSTOONGABBIE SPORTS CLUBfor their ongoing finacial sponsorship33

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LET'S GET IN TOUCHWWW.STARLIGHTSNETBALL.COM35

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