The ACT won’t be hosting major netball events. Photo: Netball ACT.
Canberra rightly prides itself as a community enamoured by the success and prominence of our women’s sporting teams.
Canberra United, the Canberra Meteors and the UC Capitals all play in national women’s leagues in the absence of men’s teams in comparable competitions.
The Brumbies and the Raiders both have teams in women’s Super Rugby and the NRLW, while the Wallaroos played a test against the United States at Canberra Stadium earlier this year.
The GWS women’s AFL team plays games in Canberra during the season.
There is also a campaign to have a team in the women’s Big Bash alongside a men’s team.
The Australian women’s cricket team regularly plays internationals at Manuka and is scheduled to play India in a T20 International in February next year, and don’t forget, the Matildas faced Argentina in June at Canberra Stadium.
The missing link in Canberra’s quest to become the epicentre of women’s sport in Australia is one of the most popular for women of all ages.
Super Netball is at an all-time high in terms of public profile, with this year’s final between the Melbourne Vixens and the West Coast Fever a sellout at the Rod Laver Arena.
There is now a campaign to have the sport included in the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, while the Australian team sells out arenas wherever they play.
In October, the Diamonds face South Africa in three tests in Bendigo, Wollongong and Adelaide, with each city bidding for the rights to host games.
Canberra hasn’t hosted either a Super Netball or Diamonds game in seven years, and the prospects of it happening anytime soon appear remote.
Netball ACT CEO Sally Clark, one of the city’s most experienced sport administrators, is keen to host top-level netball in the city.
“Yes, I’m very keen. We feel as though it’s important for young players to see high-quality netball; you can’t be what you can’t see.”
Dr Sally Clark, CEO, Netball ACT. Photo: Supplied.
Sally’s quest to host GWS Super Netball games in recent times, though, has been thwarted by several factors.
“There is frustration. I’ve been trying to get Super Netball games here since I started in the role. But when the ACT Government went into caretaker before the election, we couldn’t get the support needed. Then the AIS Arena became unavailable, with the AIS Arena converted into an ice hockey rink for Canberra Brave games.”
The conversion resulted in the AIS Arena being unavailable for several months before the Capitals took over to host WNBL games.
It is unlikely to change anytime soon, with ice hockey having a deal to play games at the AIS Arena for the next two years, while the Capitals have no plans to vacate the venue.
As to the likelihood of Canberra securing a Super Netball League licence?
“We’d need a private investor to get it across the line.”
The hope, of course, is that in the meantime, netball remains part of the conversation when it comes to staging major women’s sporting events in Canberra.
If not, netball risks losing players to sports with a higher profile, such as AFLW and basketball.
