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Woolies grant pays way to postponed championships

Headshot of Elise Van Aken
Elise Van AkenThe Kimberley Echo
Kununurra under 14's team Mia Jackson, Charlise Bonney, Hayley Goldup and Casey Ward, all 14, with Kai Clucas, 12 and Piper Stephens, 10.
Camera IconKununurra under 14's team Mia Jackson, Charlise Bonney, Hayley Goldup and Casey Ward, all 14, with Kai Clucas, 12 and Piper Stephens, 10. Credit: The Kimberley Echo/Elise Van Aken

Young Kununurra netballers have scored thousands of dollars from a major supermarket which will help them get across to a major competition next year.

The Kununurra Netball Association won a $20,000 grant from Woolworths’ netball-focused You Grow Girl initiative.

KNA president Vanessa Jenkins said the club planned to use the funds to take three junior teams to the 2020 North-West Netball Championships in Karratha, which was due to be held this month.

But the decision was made in May by Netball WA to postpone the competition until next year due to the uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions.

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The club received the news in February, but wasn’t able to gather together to celebrate the grant until recently.

A recent return to training was made that much sweeter for the under-14 team when they were presented with the cheque by their coach Erin Whittiker last week.

The club sends at least one team to competition every year, including last June when nearly 30 players from the under-12, 14, 16 and open divisions with their coaches and supporters made the 12-hour drive to Broome in one day.

Next year they are hoping to fly to Karratha via Broome thanks to the grant, which will help the club manage the time commitment and fatigue associated with making the 1800km road journey

The competition gives players the exposure to a more competitive level of netball not available at a local level as well as networking opportunities within the sport.

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