South-west clubs prepared to be patient on netball training return

Netball Victoria has developed its Return to Community Netball guidelines to support the resumption of training on outdoor courts following the COVID-19 break.

Key guidelines include: use of outdoor venues only; maintaining 1.5-metre physical distancing; get in, train and get out; if you feel unwell don't attend and participation should be optional.

AFL Victoria has sanctioned football training from Monday.

Koroit's Stacey O'Sullivan, the reigning Hampden league open grade coach, said there was plenty to work out before getting back on court.

"At this stage the club needs to go through all the finer details, of which there is a lot, before a decision can be made in regards to commencing training again," she said.

"Both football and netball will be looked at as one. In the meantime, players are continuing to do their own fitness in isolation."

South Warrnambool's top-grade mentor Leesa Battistello has a similar view.

"We will continue to train via Zoom this week as we have since March. Hoping to be back out there next week but procedures and guidelines need to be put in place to ensure our players are training in a safe environment," she said.

Hamilton Kangaroos netball co-ordinator Amanda Gibbins said the club was waiting for more direction.

But she said the Kangaroos were permitted to go for walks in groups, in line with state government protocols.

North Warrnambool Eagles coach Jaime Barr said the Eagles would not return to the courts this week.

"There's a bit to work through. We'll get a club plan in place by the end of the week," Barr said.

"Football and netball go hand-in-glove so it would be strange to start one without the other."

Kolora-Noorat A grade coach Carolyn Carlin doesn't think the Power's netballers will start training again on Thursday.

The top-grade Warrnambool and District league mentor said there was too much water to go under the bridge.

She said the club needed to get COVID-19 safety rules and regulations in place before returning to the court.

Carlin said she would attend a Netball Victoria webinar on Tuesday night to learn more about the transition back to training.

The free webinars are on Tuesday at 12.30pm and 6.30pm as well Wednesday at 7.30pm.

Netball Victoria asks people register their intent to attend one of these webinars via this link: netb.al/RTPwebinars

Carlin said there was discussion to be had among the club's committee, coaches and players before training resumed.

She said one of the key challenges was how to structure training when it returned, given the 10-person rule.

She has a senior squad of 30 players who haven't been separated into teams yet.

"That's going to be tricky," she said.

Another challenge she highlighted was how to manage the "get in, train and get out" guideline.

She said some senior netballers normally brought their kids down for training at 4.30pm and stayed through the night.

Panmure president Maree Condon also asked her club to be patient in a Facebook post on Monday night.

"In relation to the latest updates from the AFL and Netball Australia please don't get too excited," it read.

"There is still a long way to go in relation to commencing training. Just the precautions that will have to be adhered to at training will be a challenge within itself. The club will also have to come up with our own precautions and training programs before we will allow players to commence training."

"As I have said before, as soon as I get confirmation from the league I will pass that on but at the moment please don't start making plans."

Further announcements around the easing of restrictions, including the return of competitions and programs, will be made by Netball Victoria by May 31.

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