Student Achievement 

Congratulations to all students (past and present) who have been nominated for the South Canterbury Sports Awards, to be held on Friday 24 May.

PHOTO GALLERIES

Netball

CDS Netball Trial Procedure

UPDATED 25 FEBURARY 2012

  • Trial dates and times are set.   Selectors are sought – 3 Independent people.  These are people who have a good knowledge and experience with netball and have often been involved with Netball SC.  We would normally try and use the coach of the highest team in that grade that is trailing.  This person would more than likely have the final say in selection.  I.e. for the Senior trials in 2010, where Barry Tucker is the coach of the Senior A team, he would be a selector and if it was a toss-up between 2 players that selectors could not decide on for the A team and after a good discussion, Barry could possibly make the final decision as he would have to work with these players.  Parents and/or siblings of the player’s trialing will not be used.   On the ‘very odd ‘occasion, a parent could select if they were coaching the A team of the level that is being selected, but this would only be the case if the coaching committee felt that the person concerned was truly experienced and had played and or coached netball  to at least representative level herself.  Students are able to help out with warm-ups and umpiring but not selection.
  • Girls are asked to put their name up on list with their 2 preferred positions
  • 2 trials will take place
  • Trial teams are sorted for the first trial:
    • Depending on numbers, we try and get each girl 3 turns on the court, 2 of these would be at the position they have requested
    • Sometimes selectors may play a girl out of a position after the above has happened.  This could be due to an abundance of players in certain positions, a lack of players in  certain positions or simply that selectors think they would be more suited in a different position
    • At the first trial teams are randomly mixed up to give everyone an equal opportunity to se.  i.e. Players from the A team last year will be mixed up with C team players right throughout the court so no one has an obvious advantage from previously playing together etc
    • Each selector has a list of the trial teams and a space to grade each player.  i.e. selectors will put 1,2 or 3 beside each player for each and every trial.  1 being in the top & 3 being in the bottom.  This continues throughout the trial and at the end of each trial selectors discuss each player and the grade they have.
    • During this process, the match ups work out with some players progressing up the line, while others go down.  Players who selectors feel have a similar ability are then matched up etc to see who comes out on top. This continues to happen through to the 2nd trial
    • Usually after the first trial the list is split into two groups to make the next trial selection easier.  The lower group will come to the 1st trial & the higher group to the second trial.  However, selectors are asked to look out for any players in the first trial group who may stand out and be worthy of going through to the top group.
    • Should team selection not be obvious, a third trial may be necessary, but this is not usually the case.  Another option if there is still some uncertainty after the trial is to run a squad for a few weeks.
    • Although every player comes to trials on an even stead and every girl is given an equal opportunity to shine, obviously sometimes previous attitude, commitment, character and energy to lift the their game and handle pressure situations etc can play a factor when selecting teams.  During the previous season, teams are often looked at to see if anyone looks like they may have potential to succeed at a higher level etc (a bit like talent scouting!!)
  • Parents and the school must be mindful that each year can bring new players.  Particularly with the Y9s where players may have previously been in a school A team or even a rep team.  When you bring the Y9’s together you often bring players from as far afield as North Canterbury to North Otago and sometimes even further.  A player may have got in a rep team in say North Otago as a Goal Shooter because they had a shortage in that area, but could possibly only make the C team on arrival at CDS due to there being an abundance of quality shooters.  And sometimes those girls from those wee country schools have never had the opportunity to make a rep team or stand out and may make the A team.
  • There have been many incidents where players have not made an A team one year but have done so the next or even come from the C team one year to make an A team the following year.  We are also mindful that girls progress at varying levels and although they may have made an  A team one year it does not guarantee this will be the case the following year.  Sometimes it is not that a player has got worse, just that other players may have progressed and improved within a year.
  • 3 seasons ago there were 7 players named in the A team and one girl in particular was very unlucky to miss out and was initially named in the B team.  However, within a few games she had proved she should have been there and cemented herself into the starting line up of 7 in the A team.
  • Players will usually stay in the team they are named in throughout the season, however numbers due to injuries etc may require some re-shuffling so a player could possibly be promoted due to this.  Also the Senior A team may select another player to join their squad and this may not necessarily be someone from the B team but could possibly be a Yr 9 or 10 players.  However, this player would normally continue to play in their original team as well.

This method of selection has been used as long as I have been involved with CDS which is 7 years ago and is pretty much how Netball SC runs their trials – a pretty standard & obvious way.

Obviously it would be absolutely impossible for everyone to agree on as many people have varying opinions and ideas on who they feel should or should not make a team, but at the end of the day, we put our trust in the experience and knowledge of the people who select these teams and I feel the results that CDS netball have achieved in the past few years have no doubt been a testimony to just how well those selections are made.

Marise Mulcahy

Chairperson