The Warrnambool and District league (WDFNL) has opened its arms to benefit the netball community.
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The WDFNL will host a pre-season competition on Saturday, March 14 with top-grade and reserve grade teams from all leagues welcome to enter teams.
It's $250 to enter a side and there'll be a finals series with prizes.
It's not just a chance for teams to have a hit-out before their seasons, it also presents as a valuable opportunity for umpires.
WDFNL secretary and umpires coordinator Veronica Cannon said it was a great way to prepare for the upcoming seasons.
"It's a great hit-out for all the teams to get a bit of match fitness," she said.
It's a great hit-out for all the teams to get a bit of match fitness.
- Veronica Cannon
It's two weeks before the WDFNL season starts and three weeks before the Hampden league begins.
Cannon said it was also a chance for south-west umpires to get feedback as they strive for their B badge.
"We do a lot of work with our umpires through the season," she said.
"We have Kaye Hollis who is our (WDFNL) umpires mentor.
"And because we have got so many umpires wanting to go for their B badge this year, she can't get round to every one of them through the season to get them ready to go for their B badge."
At the pre-season round-robin, men and women will receive feedback from experienced mentors.
They'll walk away with aspects they need to work on before they try for their B badge later this year.
Cannon said gaining a B badge was no easy feat.
"That's a difficult thing to get, it's a big step from a C badge to a B badge," she said.
C badge is the basic level of qualification.
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Expressions of interest for the pre-season competition are due Wednesday. March 4.
"We've had quite a few clubs ring and ask about it," Cannon said.
Matches will be played with nine-minute halves.
The pre-season tournament is a new addition for the WDFNL this season.
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