Netball SA and the South Australian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association are joining forces to further grow male participation in netball.
Ahead of the return of the Men’s Super League on October 28, the two bodies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to share resourcing and knowledge to increase development opportunities for men and boys.
SAMMNA’s Director of Strategy and Integrity Steven McInnes said the recent development of men’s netball on the international stage was a catalyst for growth at all levels across the country.
“Men and boys have been playing netball since the 80’s and even earlier, but recently, the sport has started to grow not only in SA but around the country,” McInnes said.
“This is largely due to the recent partnership with Netball Australia and the subsequent broadcast/media success of the Australian Kelpies team, along with the inclusion of a men’s division in the Fast5 series, giving visibility of the sports elite level.
“Now that breakthrough has been achieved at the elite level, young men and boys can see there is a pathway for them, and this has inspired growth in our state-based competitions and programs.”
As exposure continues to rise, McInnes said the future of netball for men and boys was looking bright.
“SAMMNA regularly sends teams to the annual AMMNA National Championships and team numbers continue to grow not only for SA but for all States,” McInnes said.
“Internationally the men’s game is looking to be big enough to have world cups and potentially be part of the inclusion of netball (for men and women) in the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.”
McInnes said the MOU was indicative of the commitment from both bodies.
“The purpose is to provide a guideline for how the two associations can work together, with emphasis on driving practical and collaborative initiatives,” McInnes said.
“SAMMNA and NSA will leverage each other’s strengths and both take leading roles in different aspects and activities in the MOU to achieve its KPIs.”
Netball SA CEO Bronwyn Klei said one of the key focus’ for the organisation was strengthening the pathway for male netballers from grassroots to elite.
“Netball is a sport for all, and we play a significant role in ensuring young boys have the opportunity to not only enter our sport but to thrive and develop into elite netballers,” Ms Klei said.
“SAMMNA have worked so hard to develop the pathway and we look forward to continuing to work with them to create more integration between the male and female programs.
“The Super League and the development of the Southern Dragons has shown us there is no shortage of male talent in South Australia and we look forward to seeing more South Australians representing their country with the Australian Kelpies into the future.”
