September 5, 2019
UOW-backed South Coast netball team joins NSW Premier League
Supporting women’s sport in new partnership with Netball Australia
The University of Wollongong (UOW) has thrown its support behind newly-formed netball team South Coast Blaze, set to debut in the Netball NSW Premier League in 2020.
The team will provide an elite platform for local players, coaches and administrators.
South Coast Blaze will join eight foundation teams and another new team, Capital Spirit, from the ACT to play in the pinnacle competition in the state.
The team’s inclusion in the competition has also been backed by Illawarra, Kiama and Shoalhaven Netball Associations and the Illawarra Academy of Sport.
UOW Chief Finance Officer Damien Israel said the University was pleased to forge a partnership with Netball Australia.
“The University is proudly backing the expansion of the state competition by sponsoring the newly-formed South Coast Blaze,” Israel said.
“We value the role that sport plays on our campuses and in the development of healthy and resilient people. A competitive local team in the state league would provide a focal point for many young women in the community and in our student population.
“The ascension of women’s sport into the mainstream is a positive for Australian society and the role that Netball Australia is playing in that rise is to be applauded.”
Netball NSW Head of Netball, Nikki Horton, said the addition of two new teams was huge step forward for the competition.
"To see how the competition has grown since it was introduced back in 2016 is something we are very proud of," Horton said.
"Both the Blaze and Spirit put forward very strong cases for inclusion in the competition going forward and we are delighted to welcome them into our Opens and Under 23s competitions.
"We have seen our Australian Netball League teams reach Grand Finals over the past few years and I think the level of netball they are exposed to in the Premier League helps with that.”
The competition's regular season and finals will still take place at Netball Central in Sydney Olympic Park.
The Blaze and Spirit will join the eight existing franchises who also compete across both the Opens and Under 23s divisions: Central Coast Heart, ERNA Hawks, GWS Fury, Manly Warringah Sapphires, North Shore United, Panthers, Sutherland Stingrays and UTS Sparks.