“AT ST MARY’S Netball Club we believe that it doesn’t matter where you are from, or if you know how to play netball or not… you are welcomed to St Mary’s Netball Club with open arms.”
A humble philosophy – based entirely around complete inclusion at St Mary’s Netball Club – that has not gone unrecognised by the greater netball community.
The Dandenong and District Netball Association club – based at Greaves Reserve – has been honoured by Netball Australia and Australia Post as one of seven national winners in the 2015 Australia Post One Netball Community Awards.
Australia Post and Netball Australia encouraged individuals, clubs, associations from across the country to nominate their local inclusion champions for the Australia Post One Netball Community Awards, which are now in their second year.
The awards recognise and reward the individuals, clubs and associations that go above and beyond to create and support inclusive netball environments.
As part of their prize St Mary’s Netball Club received a visit from an Australia Post One Netball Ambassador – Geva Mentor – on Friday afternoon, with the Melbourne Vixens’ champion goalkeeper running a special training session to help cultivate the next generation of Dandenong netball talent.
Australian Diamonds player and Australia Post One Netball Ambassador Rebecca Bulley congratulated this year’s winners and commended them for making netball more inclusive for everyone.
“These winners are the true champions of our sport,” Bulley said.
“I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet with the people that are behind some of these programs and to witness the joy on the participants’ faces as they participate in netball… and it wasn’t just the participants that had smiles on their faces, it was their families too.
“Netball is a wonderful way to bring communities together.”
St Mary’s also received a $1000 Australia Post Load&Go Visa Prepaid Gift Card and a netball signed by the 2015 Australian Diamonds’ team.
To learn more about One Netball, visit www.onenetball.org.au.
