The year started with a bang for ANZA Netball as they headed over to Marlborough College Malaysia in Johor for the annual Straits Tournament.
The tournament is an exciting series of competitions that brings together international schools and clubs from Johor, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore, plus local schools from Johor.
ANZA Netball participated over two carnival days. The first was for the U11 and U13 tournaments. The age boundaries differed slightly from those in Singapore, and ANZA took a mix of girls, forming three teams in U11 and two teams in U13. The second day saw ANZA competing with one U15 and one U18 team.
As always, the competition itself was incredibly well-organised, with the girls rotating on and off six netball courts. The action was fierce, and timing was tight, with 8-minute halves and just one minute to swap positions, chat with the coach, and grab a much-needed water break! Adding to the tension, there was only a speedy 20-minute break between matches. Each team played between 5-8 matches in total, many out in the blazing sun, though some were lucky enough to play in the air-conditioned halls.
As part of the fun, everyone travelled together on large coaches to Malaysia, accompanied by some parents whose adrenaline was pumping as much as the teams’. Everyone left bright and early at 6am and returned, happily exhausted, by late afternoon. Thanks to the different age categories, it was a fantastic chance for players to form bonds with girls outside of their usual age groups. Everyone enjoyed lunch en masse in the boarding school cafeteria (the chickpea curry was a highlight!), and it goes without saying that the cool food trucks were a big hit with both parents and players!
All in all, it was fabulous for ANZA Netball to participate in the Straits Tournament, building on our success from previous years. We came home to Singapore with three Championship trophies in U11, U13, and U18, as well as runners-up positions in U11, and third place finishes in U13 and U15. It was an epic trip, and we can’t wait to be invited back in 2026!
GREAT EXCHANGE
ANZA Netball recently hosted four Under 11 teams from Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) Dubai as part of their week-long trip to Singapore. The visiting teams thoroughly enjoyed the experience and loved the warm welcome and competitive matches. It was a lovely exchange of skills, sportsmanship, and camaraderie!
