The all new CSSC London netball league
which is going to revamp Civil Service netball in the Capital started
in earnest on the 16th February.
League organisers Laura Owen and Fay Cook with the close support
of the CSSC Central London Netball Club organiser Marcia Harris
(I can’t thank them enough for all the hard work that they
have put into this) have brought together teams from the Her Majesty’s
Revenue and Customs (HMRC), The Home Office, Department for Work
and Pensions (DWP), National Audit Office (NAO), Probation Service
and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to contest a series
of friendly matches with the aim of setting a London wide multi-departmental
and agency league in late summer/early autumn.
This in addition to what I’m sure will be the best and biggest
Barbados Challenge Netball Tournament taking place at CSSC London
Chiswick Sports Ground on Saturday 8th July with that all important
first prize of a massively subsidised trip to Barbados to take
on the National Sports Council of Barbados in 2007.
The expression of interest from departmental and agency netball
teams for the London League has taken us all by surprise to the
extent that Laura and Fay have had to cap the number of entries
just to be able to get through the initial matches at our new Central
London venue of Colombo Street Sports Centre SE1.
For those teams that we could not accommodate initially I would
like to apologise and assure you that we will most definitely be
getting you all on board when the league starts up and to that
end I am endeavouring to source more facilities just to be able
to cope with all the teams! But from a CSSC London point of view
it’s a very nice problem to have and we are delighted with
the response.
In the opening round of friendly matches the Home Office and HMRC
met. It was a cracking game played at high tempo with agility and
skill being exhibited throughout. In the end the Home Office overcame
HMRC by the score of 52 to 31 with the service given to the precision
goal shooting of Helen, Jenny and Bev proving the deciding factor
on the night for the Home Office. There were big performances too
from HMRC goal shooters Rosanne and Marie but they were just starved
that little bit more of possession to bridge the gap.
Thursday 2nd March sees the next round of matches and a double
header to boot. On court one HMRC will be looking to bounce back
against DWP while on court two, the Home Office look to continue
their winning ways against the National Audit Office. Anyone who
would like to come and support/spectate is welcome.
Thanks to all the players. For HMRC; Carol, Marie, Zoe, Toks,
Anne-Marie, Rosanne, Sarah, Marcia and Ann. For the Home Office;
Kathryn, Ruth, Phoebe, Laura, Beverly, Jenny, Abbie, Helen and
Becca. A very special thank you goes out to Arianna Hemara for
her eagle eyed umpiring and we wish Abbie Lloyd a speedy recovery
and return to the action after she suffered a turned ankle on the
night. |
