Netball NI Awards Night 2023 - Official Programme

NNI Leagues resumed in full this season after the pandemic.

Across our 14 leagues we had 9 different clubs win their respective leagues.

Presenting the League Winner trophies is Debbie Hallas, Managing Director, of our retail partner Netball UK.

Senior 5 - Bangor 3

Senior 4 - Laganside 1

Senior 3 - Crumlin 3

Senior 2 - Bangor 1

Senior 1 -

Donaghadee 1

Premier League Belfast Ladies 1

MULTIPLENETBALLSUPERLEAGUE WINNINGHEADCOACHWITH MANCHESTERTHUNDER.

CATRIONAMILLS SONYATHOMSON

GRAINNEMACKLE

CATRIONA MILLS

CATRIONA IS A MEMBER OF THE HIGH PERFORMANCE UMPIRING GROUP AND HAS REPRESENTED NETBALL NI AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AT NUMEROUS EVENTS OVER THE LAST SEASON. THESE INCLUDE THE MACCABIAH GAMES IN ISRAEL, NETBALL EUROPE U17 CHALLENGE IN GIBRALTAR IN NOVEMBER, NETBALL

EUROPE U17 CHAMPIONSHIP/CHALLENGE ANTRIM IN FEBRUARY AND HAS BEEN SELECTED TO UMPIRE AT NETBALL EUROPE OPEN CHALLENGE IN CARDIFF IN MAY. CATRIONA HAS ALSO UMPIRED BRITISH COLLEGES, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND V BRITISH ARMY, NI V UGANDA AND REGULARLY AT PREMIER LEAGUE AND SCHOOLS FINALS AMONGST A VARIETY OF OTHER COMPETITIONS AND AGE GROUPS ACROSS THE DOMESTIC COMPETITIONS.

SONYA THOMSON

SONYA IS AN NNI AFFILIATED INTERNATIONAL UMPIRE WHO HAS WHO HAS DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS OF TIME AND COMMITMENT TO HER ROLE. ALONG WITH BEING A REGULAR UMPIRE FOR A LARGE MAJORITY OF PREMIER

LEAGUE GAMES, SONYA HAS UMPIRED AT NUMEROUS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. SHE IS A REGULAR SOUNDING BOARD FOR OTHER UMPIRES AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND HAS CREATED AN ATMOSPHERE THAT IS BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND APPROACHABLE.

SHE IS REGULARLY SEEN AT BELFAST LADIES TRAINING SESSIONS WORKING ON SPRINT WORK AND OFTEN COAXES US INTO TAKING ON THE BLEEP TEST TO ENSURE SHE IS ON TOP FITNESS FORM! A LOOK AT SONYA'S STRAVA WILL TELL YOU THAT SHE CAN OFTEN RUN BETWEEN 5 AND 10KM WHEN UMPIRING A MATCH!

GRAINNE MACKLE

GRAINNE MACKLE HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF PORTADOWN LADIES FOR OVER 2 DECADES AND HAS ACHIEVED ALOT OVER THE YEARS, NOT ONLY AS A PLAYER BUT AN OFFICIAL. ENSURING THAT SHE IS ALWAYS ON HAND TO HELP OUT NOT ONLY PORTADOWN CLUB BUT OTHER CLUBS AND NETBALL NI. ALWAYS WANTING TO IMPROVE AND ACHIEVE HER STATUS IN THE UMPIRING CIRCLES. SHE IS AN ASSET TO OUR SPORT. SHE MORE THAN DESERVES THIS NOMINATION FOR HER PURE DETERMINATION AND LOYALTY TO THE SPORT.

GRAINNE HAS TAKEN PART IN A NUMBER OF MAJOR TOURNAMENTS OVER THE YEARS. SHE TRAVELED TO THE ISLE OF MAN AND GIBRALTAR TO OFFICATE AND REPRESENT NI. GRAINNE IS WORKING TOWARDS HER INTERNATIONAL UMPIRING GRADE. EVERY FRIDAY EVENING DURING THE SEASON GRAINNE ALSO UMPIRES IN THE THE NI PREMIER LEAGUE.

JENNYCLAYTON

U17NATIONALHEADCOACH

JENNYHASBEENTHENIU17COACHTHIS YEAR,COACHINGTHETEAMATTHE EUROPEANCHAMPIONSHIPONHOMETURF.

JENNYHASBEENAHUGEADVOCATEFOR JUNIORPLAYERSOVERTHELASTNUMBEROF YEARSANDSHEISEXTREMELYPASSIONATE ABOUTTHEPATHWAYSTOFACILITATEOUR YOUNGPLAYERS.SHEHASFACILITATED SOMEEXCELLENTEXPERIENCEFORTHIS TEAMTHROUGHREGULARMATCHPRACTICE AGAINSTPREMIERLEAGUETEAMS.

SHANNON

GARVAN

U13 ACADEMY HEAD COACH, BELFAST

SHANNON LIVES AND BREATHES NETBALL AND HAS MADE AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NETBALL AT BANGOR (SEEN THROUGH THIS YEARS RESULTS) AND FURTHER A FIELD. SHE IS THE BACKBONE OF THE CLUB WHICH WOULDN&'T EXIST WITHOUT HER. SHE COORDINATES ALMOST EVERYTHING WITH THE HELP OF HER COMMITTEE AND GIVES UP SOME MUCH OF HER TIME TO TRAIN, PLAY, COACH, ATTEND MATCHES, UMPIRE AND DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PATHWAY EVERY DAY.

JULIE-ANNE CAIRNS

U13 ACADEMY HEAD COACH, NORTH EAST

JULIE-ANNE’S APPROACH

TO COACHING HAS HELPED TO CHANGE THE MINDSET OF OUR PLAYERS WHO NOW ARE MORE DEDICATED TO TRAINING AND MANY HAVE JOINED OUR LOCAL CLUB AS A RESULT. SHE SHOULD BE COMMENDED ON THE WORK SHE HAS DONE TO RAISE THE STANDARD AND PROFILE OF NETBALL WITHIN THE NORTHERN EAST PATHWAY.

NICOLEBEGGS

BANBRIDGEACADEMY

DAWNBAXTER

WALLACEHIGHSCHOOL

MARIEMCCOOL

AQUINASDIOCESANGRAMMARSCHOOL

NICOLEBEGGS

BANBRIDGEACADEMY

NICOLEHASGIVENUPCOUNTLESSHOURS

ORGANISINGANDCOORDINATINGNETBALL WITHINBANBRIDGEACADEMY.CURRENTLY UNDERHERWINGTHEREARE8TEAMS WITHINBANBRIDGEACADEMY.NICOLEHAS CHANGEDNETBALLWITHINTHESCHOOL INRECENTYEARSMAKINGITMORE RECOGNISEDWHENBANBRIDGEACADEMY HASBEENHOCKEYFOCUSEDFORMANY YEARS.

DAWN BAXTER

WALLACE HIGH SCHOOL

DAWN HAS BEEN COACH OF WALLACE HIGH SCHOOL WHO HAD EXCEPTIONAL REPRESENTATION AT BOTH THE SCHOOL LEAGUE AND CUP FINALS WITH MANY SUCCESSES. SHE HAD TEAMS IN JUNIOR INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR LEAGUE FINALS AND ALSO HAD MINORS IN THE CUP COMPETITION.

DAWN ALSO WORKS EXCEPTIONALLY HARD AS A CLUB COACH DEVELOPING MANY YOUNG PLAYERS.

MARIE MCCOOL

AQUINAS DIOCESAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL

ACCOLADES ATTAINED THIS YEAR UNDER MARIE: CUP, PLATE AND LEAGUE WINNER ACROSS DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.

LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ON REGIONAL SQUADS AND NATIONAL SQUADS.

HUGE NUMBER OF YEARS DEVOTED TO THE GAME AND HOURS GIVEN TO TRAINING VOLUNTARILY FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAYERS.

BELFASTLADIESNETBALLCLUB

SINEADTOAL&ORLAGHMACKLE

CLANNEIREANNNETBALLCLUB

SHANNONGARVAN

BANGORNETBALLCLUB

CLAR ROIS MCGUINNESS

BELFAST LADIES NETBALL CLUB

CLAR HAS PASSIONATELY COACHED THE BELFAST LADIES 1STS AND 2NDS TEAM THROUGH A SUCCESSFUL 22/23 SEASON.

JUGGLING FAMILY AND WORK COMMITMENTS, CLAR HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO TRAINING AND COACHING AT ALL FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT ABOUT CLAR ROIS IS THE REACH AND CONNECTION SHE HAS WITH CURRENT CLUB PLAYERS AND PLAYERS THAT (FOR EXAMPLE) HAVE TRAVELLED OR HEADED OFF TO UNIVERSITY ABROAD. SHE ENSURES TO KEEP THE CONNECTION WITH THESE YOUNG PLAYERS AND SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE THEM BACK INTO THE CLUB ON THEIR RETURN.

SINEAD TOAL & ORLAGH MACKLE

CLANN EIREANN NETBALL CLUB

BOTH COACHES HAVE MADE AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NETBALL, OVERSEEING AND FACILITATING ALL COACHING THAT GOES ON IN CLANN EIREANN CLUB. BETWEEN THEM THEY OVERSEE ALL THE OTHER COACHES. THEY COACH MINIS, U14, U16, U19 SENIOR AND ALSO THE SOCIAL TEAMS IN THE CLUB. ANYONE INVOLVED IN NETBALL WILL BE AWARE OF THE WORK THESE TWO LADIES DO TO PROMOTE THE SPORT INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO; COACHING NUMEROUS TEAMS WITHIN THE CLUB RUNNING BLITZES AND TOURNAMENTS TO PROMOTE THE SPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN OTHER CLUBS.

SHANNON GARVAN

BANGOR NETBALL CLUB

SHANNON HAS GUIDED TWO OUT OF THREE TEAMS AT BANGOR NETBALL CLUB TO FINISH TOP OF THEIR RESPECTIVE LEAGUES AND HAS CONTINUED TO GIVE HER ABSOLUTE ALL TO THE CLUB BOTH AT JUNIOR AND SENIOR LEVEL. SHE’S A PILLAR OF BANGOR NETBALL CLUB AND HER COACHING DESERVES RECOGNITION! SHE DEVOTES A LOT OF HER LIFE TO THE SPORT, NOT ONLY BEING BANGOR CLUB COACH BUT ALSO A PLAYER AS WELL AS COACHING SOCIAL LEAGUES, UMPIRING AND BEING INVOLVED IN THE U21 NORTHERN IRELAND COACHING TEAM.

AMELIEPITTAM

SEVENTOWERSNETBALLCLUB

JEMIMAWATSON

WESTSIDENETBALLCLUB

LUCYHAUGHIAN

CLANNEIREANNNETBALLCLUB

AMELIE PITTAM

SEVEN TOWERS NETBALL CLUB

AMELIE PITMANN IS A VERY INTELLIGENT AND CREATIVE PLAYER WHO HAS CLASS AND HAS IMPROVED MASSIVELY. SHE WAS SUCCESSFUL AT OBTAINING A PLACE ON U15 FOR THE 2ND YEAR, WAS SHORTLISTED AT 14 YEARS OLD AS POTENTIAL FOR POTENTIAL AT U17 NATIONAL LAST SEASON AS ONE OF THE STRONGEST IN OUR U15 PATHWAY. SHE LEADS THE ATTACK END AND OTHER PLAYERS LOOK UP TO HER TO LEARN FROM. SHE IS NOT IN THE NNI SHEILD FINAL WITH HER SCHOOL TEAM.

JEMIMA WATSON

WESTSIDE NETBALL CLUB

JEMIMA HAS SHOWN A DEGREE OF COMMITMENT WHICH IS VERY RARE FOR SOMEONE HER AGE. HER DILIGENCE AND PASSION FOR NETBALL IS COMMENDABLE. FOR SOMEONE SO YOUNG AT THIS LEVEL OF MATURITY IS FABULOUS TO SEE. SHE NEVER MISSES ANY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE HER SKILL LEVEL.

LUCY HAUGHIAN

CLANN EIREANN NETBALL CLUB

LUCY IS ONLY IN PRIMARY 7 BUT IS A FUTURE WA FOR WARRIORS FOR SURE. SHE IS A 'FEED FROM ANYWHERE MACHINE' WITH PINPOINT PRECISION PASSING. SHE HAS BEEN A KEY PART OF THE WINNING CLANN EIREANN MINIS TEAM AT BOTH NNI MINI FESTIVAL DAYS, HER SCHOOL TEAM AND SELECTED AS PART OF THE U13 NNI SOUTHERN ACADEMY.

SHE IS AN EXCITING, YOUNG PLAYER TO WATCH WHO REGULARLY IS RECOGNISED FOR HER STAND OUT PERFORMANCES. HER PASSION AND LOVE FOR THE GAME SHINES THROUGH AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HEIGHTS SHE WILL REACH!

ERINWATSON

U17NATIONAL

BELFASTLADIESNETBALLCLUB

ERINHASBEENAMEMBEROFTHEU17NATIONAL SQUADFORTHEPAST2SEASONS.THISSEASON HASSEENERINFOCUSSOLELYONNETBALLAND THATDECISIONHASDEFINITELYPAIDDIVIDENDS FORHERANDTHESQUAD.HERCOMMITMENTAND EFFORTATTRAININGHASBEENOUTSTANDING TOGETHERWITHAWILLINGNESSTOLISTENAND LEARN.

JOYEBBINGHAUS

U17NATIONAL

DONAGHADEENETBALLCLUB

JOYHASBEENAMEMBEROFTHEU17

NATIONALSQUADFORTHEPAST2 SEASONS.SHEHASSHOWNDEDICATION ANDCOMMITMENTTOTHESQUADINTHE LAST12MONTHS.JOYHASMADEA SIGNIFICANTCONTRIBUTIONBOTHONTHE COURTRESULTINGINHERCAPTAININGTHE SQUADATTHEU17EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS.LEADINGBYEXAMPLE,JOY HELPEDTODEVELOPAPOSITIVESQUAD CULTURE.SHEHASSHOWNAWILLINGNESS TOLISTENANDLEARNANDASKQUESTIONS ANDISEAGERTOIMPROVE.

JILL SMILEY

U21 NATIONAL BELFAST LADIES NETBALL CLUB

JILL HAS SHOWN EXCELLENT COMMITMENT TO THE NNI U21 SQUAD. HAVING GONE ABROAD TO UNIVERSITY, SHE TRAVELS HOME

REGULARLY FOR TRAINING AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE TEAM. JILL WAS PART OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP U21 SQUAD IN OCTOBER AND WAS A STANDOUT PLAYER IN THE SHOOTING CIRCLE. CURRENTLY PLAYS FOR THE LEEDS 2NDS TEAM AND IS

REGULARLY AWARDED PLAYER OF THE MATCH. CONTINUES TO ALSO BE REGISTERED WITH BELFAST LADIES NETBALL CLUB AND PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE WHEN SHE RETURNS HOME FROM UNIVERSITY. JILL IS A FUTURE WARRIOR STAR!

MOYAMCVEIGH

HALL HALLOFFAME OFFAME EST.2023

NETBALL NI ARE DELIGHTED TO ANNOUNCE A BRAND-NEW AWARD CATEGORY OF THE MOYA MCVEIGH HALL OF FAME, WHICH WILL RECOGNISE INDIVIDUALS OR TEAMS WHO HAVE MADE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO NETBALL IN NORTHERN IRELAND, AND/OR DEMONSTRATED OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE/PROGRESSION/SERVICE IN THEIR CHOSEN DISCIPLINE.

THE MOYA MCVEIGH HALL OF FAME IS NAMED IN RECOGNITION OF THE INCREDIBLE WORK UNDERTAKEN THROUGHOUT ALL AREAS OF NETBALL BY THE ULTIMATE MUMMY OF NETBALL

IN NORTHERN IRELAND, WHO WE SADLY LOST IN 2019. THE MOYA MCVEIGH HALL OF FAME IS HOW WE HOPE TO CELEBRATE AND COMMEMORATE HER LIFE AND HER DEVOTION TO OUR SPORT. NNI HAVE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOYA’S DAUGHTERS, KAREN AND CLAIRE TO ENSURE WE ENCAPSULATE THE ESSENCE OF HER FORMIDABLE PASSION AND ENORMOUS COMPASSION WITH WHICH SHE ENVELOPED US ALL.

TO THEIR STANDA LEVEL OF NETBALL. THEY’VE PROVED THIS BY WINNING EVERYTHING THEY COULD POSSIBLY WIN. WE CANNOT FIND A TEAM THAT HAS COME CLOSE TO THEM. WE HAVE EVEN RESORTED TO PLAYING THEM AGAINST UNDER 14 TEAMS AND EVEN THEN THEY HAVE WON. THEY ARE THE FUTURE OF NETBALL WITHIN NI AND THEIR SUCCESS HAS BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND OTHER NETBALL CLUBS STARTING TO INTRODUCE MINI NETBALL WHEN THEY NEVER DID. THEY LIVE AND BREATHE NETBALL AND NO OTHER TEAM HAS SUPPORTED NETBALL NI ON/OFF THE COURT LIKE THEY HAVE.