Academy team gains plenty of experience at NIB Games

The Far West Academy of Sport Netball team with their coaches at the NIB Games last week in Maitland. ▪ Photo contributed
The Far West Academy of Sport Netball team with their coaches at the NIB Games last week in Maitland. ▪ Photo contributed

The Far West Academy of Sport (FWAS) Netball team, which contains five Cobar players and one coaching staff member, competed at the NIB Games in Maitland last week.

Each year the NIB Games brings together elite competitors to battle it out in multiple sport competitions with this year’s competition also including athletics, softball and an Athletes with a Disability swimming carnival.

The FWAS team played eight games over three days of the netball competition and, although the side didn’t record any wins (their closest match was a two goal loss against Northern Inland Academy of Sport), all said it had been a great experience.

Players Sara Langfield, Emily Carswell, Abby Carswell, Lauren Urquhart and Niamh Urquhart, along with assistant coach Amie Hill, were all part of the squad.

“We not only improved our gameplay but we met and received tips and feedback from the head coach of the NSW Swifts and Lauren was given tips and advice from the shooting coach of the QLD Firebirds,” FWAS team member Niamh Urquhart reported.

FWAS assistant coach Amie Hill said she relished in the opportunity to learn from NSW Swifts coach Rob Wright and QLD Firebirds shooting coach Nicole Cusack during one of the games.

“It was great, I learnt so much just in that short time,” Mrs Hill said.