The Netball Upper Clutha senior competition gets underway next week (June 25-26) and will feature an expanded A Grade competition which will incorporate a men’s team for the first time.

The new look A Grade competition has expanded by two teams with the inclusion of Dunstan High School and Molyneux Netball Club, both from Alexandra, taking the number of sides in the A Grade to seven.

But it is the inclusion of the men's team which is grabbing headlines. The men's side will play the A Grade team which has the competition bye each week, effectively lifting the number of teams in A Grade to eight.

“Under Netball New Zealand rules men are not able to play in the women’s competition so we asked all the clubs if they were happy to play the men when they had the bye. They all jumped at the chance,” Netball Upper Clutha president Tracey Gibson said.

Men's team captain and organiser Dan Cullen said the men played in the mixed social summer league and approached Netball Upper Clutha to see if they could play in winter. 

“We are really grateful to Netball Upper Clutha and the clubs for allowing us to play,” Dan said. “We have a few experienced players and everyone’s played to some degree. We have a bit of height so hopefully we’ll do okay. We’re just keen to have some fun.”

The men’s side had a rules session last week and held their first training run last night (Wednesday June 17) under the guidance of coaches Phoebe Coers and Ruby Cave.

The senior netball competition will run over 12 weeks and end in September.

PHOTO: Wanaka App