Not much netball this week due to the Regional round of National Schools. Well done to all our athletes who participated.  

PERFORMANCE 
Mid week our U14 Netball Nights girls beat Leeds Tigers 24-16,  a great win considering the last two match ups giant this team both had one goal in them. 
Our U16 West Yorkshire team were out against Yorkshire Terriers (1) winning 38-13 despite injuries and many tired legs being involved in National Schools the day before. 
The U12As had a stormer against the U12Cs who are a year younger, a match played in good spirit. 100% effort on both sides with a final score of 61-3. 
Again in the U12 age group the B team had a superb 31-8 win against Birkenshaw Belles. 
the U12Ds had a tough game against Calderdale 4-14 was the final score but they never gave up despite being behind throughout. 
Finally our super Hi 5 girls beat Wakefield Phoenix 21-12 so continue their winning streak. 

SPECTATE
Both our Prem 1 and Northern teams are at home on Sunday 2nd February. They will be playing at Leeds Beckett University at 1.30pm and 11.30am respectively. Go along to support and watch great netball free of charge. 

SCHOOL NETBALL
In the Regional round of National Schools at the weekend lots of our athletes featured in their school teams, at this well organised, tremendous showpiece of netball at the EIS, Sheffield. The winners and runners up go through to the National School Finals Welwyn Garden City on 14th March. 
The results were as follows-
U14
Sheffield High
GSAL
U16
GSAL
South Hunsley
U19
Woodhouse Grove
QE

UPCOMING UMPIRING COURSE
Anyone interested in becoming an umpire to support netball and help our club, there is an umpiring course coming up in Harrogate on the 26th April. See the link below. Please encourage anybody you know who might be interested in giving it a go to apply. The club are prepared to support umpires financially and with mentors even if they do not play for us. 
https://engage.englandnetball.co.uk/coursefinder?postcode=LS1
Leeds Athletic Netball Club
www.leedsathleticnetballclub.org.uk
@LeedsAthleticNC

Did anyone know there is a netball quad series going on?? Not much coverage on tv and the radio, very disappointing. 

PERFORMANCE
Our West Yorkshire seniors had a fabulous win on Saturday beating Alliance 83-44, that is not a typo there were actually 127 goals scored in 60 minutes!! Once again our team featured Some SuperLeague players Francine Hall and Brie Grierson, amazing playing opportunities for our young athletes to be on court with players of this stature.  
Prem (1) had a tricky encounter against Academy at Huddersfield Uni on Sunday afternoon. Academy leading all the way with a final score of 36-53. 
The Northern girls faced Sheffield Concord in an unpredictable battle but pulling away in the end with a 61-44 win. A small squad of seniors but getting the job done. 
In Senior Regional our team sporting five U16s had a classy win against Hallam, they were so good that the opposition coach came over to congratulate our athletes. Eventual score was 63-47. 
It was a solid win for the U16 Regional Squad in the 3rd game of the Regional rounds, with a final score of 49-12 against Ripon Rockets. The girls gave a good performance, most had already taken to court this morning for WY U16s or Senior Regional. 
The  U16WY squad  won against Shipley 32-14, a pretty impressive score line. All girls took to court in this fabulous win. 
Another slightly tense start for U14 in their Regional game against Shipley, up just 7-4 after first quarter. Came back out to win a strong 2nd quarter 14-3 and kept the momentum going from there, final score 44-12. Felt a lot closer at times but a great team performance. This keeps them top of the league with a goal difference of three. 
In the U14WY league there was a disappointing loss in the first match of the new league against Shipley. They started strong leading 14:6 at half time. Shipley came back in the third quarter winning 9:1 taking the score to 15:15. Shipley eventually winning 24:21. 
U12(1) had a great game against Wakefield Phoenix. Last time they met the score was a win 35-8, this time they managed a 40-1 win, but still lots to learn and build on. 
U12(2) had a resounding win 20-9 denying YMCA a point for not making half score. Great outing for this team placed third in the league table but only on goal difference. 
A tough gig for the U12(3) this morning losing 32-13 to Birkenshaw Bells (1). They kept fighting right to the end though and still smiling, they know this year is for learning and growing, next year they will be taking control. 
The high 5 team winning 21-20 against an older YMCA. The girls showed great strength and determination throughout the court. That’s two out of two for our youngest athletes. 

SPECTATE
No senior matches next week due to the regional round of school nationals held at the EIS. U14 and U16 on Saturday and U19 on Sunday. Go along to spectate it’s free to watch, see what school nationals is all about. Eight teams per age group a winner and runner up from each county round. Lots of our girls will be in action, wishing good luck to them all. 

DISNEY
There will be a Disney meeting at GSAL at 7pm on Thursday 23rd January. 

AUSTRALIA 2021 TOUR
Yes it’s happening our second tour to the Gold Coast in Auz for U20s.  Come along to hear what it’s all about on 6th February 7.15pm in the drama studio GSAL, it is the trip of a lifetime. Last time the girls entered an Australian netball tournament, surfed at surfers paradise, climbed the Sidney harbour bridge, had technical and tactical sessions with highly qualified Australian coaches, self massage instruction at the Australian Institute of sport, had a speed boat ride, went sightseeing on bicycles and of course loads of netball matches in unbelievable venues. 

UNDERSHORTS AND DRESSES
Please take a look at your dress and under short length. Consider the movements made when playing it is really unbecoming when these items of clothing are too small. Longer length dresses are available from Kukri for our taller girls. 

UMPIRES
Please continue to ask your friends and colleagues if they are interested in becoming a qualified umpire? Leeds Athletic are keen to finance and support new umpires. Please get in touch with Susie Stead. 
susiestead@hotmail.com 

Leeds Athletic Netball Club
www.leedsathleticnetballclub.org.uk
@LeedsAthleticNC

Lots of netball going on this week around the club and at international level starting on 19th January in the quad series. Be sure to watch something to aid your personal development and knowledge of our beautiful game. 

PERFORMANCE 
Mid week our netball nights team pulled off a super 29-22 win against Titans who beat them last time out. Good start to the new year for this young team mostly U14 playing in an adult league. 

Our West Yorkshire Seniors stormed through with a fabulous 53-37 win against Morrisons on Saturday, winning throughout in the toughest of encounters. Great to see SuperLeague players Brie Grierson and Tuaine Keenan on the team sheet. What fabulous opportunities for our younger players to be in a squad with these superstars of our game. 
On Sunday the Prem (1) girls had a relatively short trip to Grangetown hoping to bring home another essential win to follow last weeks success against Hucclecote. It was a fighting performance  throughout but a tough ask, resulting in a 39-58 loss. 
Oaksway were the visitors to Leeds Beckett University to play our Northern League team. An awesome performance produced a 66-37 win for us and a photo on Twitter with coach Jan Hemsley celebrating in an unusual way!!
It was the second set of matches in the Regional rounds for the U14 and U16s. The winners and runners up from West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Humberside leagues pre Christmas, plus two more qualifiers, enter the Regional League playing each other once.  Winners and runners up of this competition go on to the National tournament where the best 18 teams in the country compete to become the National Club Champions. 
The U16s were pitched against South Yorkshire rivals Dronfield in a tense battle winning 44-20 but it felt much closer than that at the time. 
The U14s played YMCA who qualified in second place from West Yorkshire so a tricky fixture. Our girls got the bit between their teeth and produced a great win 29-14 keeping their goal difference ticking over and remaining at the top of the table above Dronfield and Kingston. 
The teams remaining in the West Yorkshire leagues reset and play in a revised West Yorkshire Competition. Although our U16B team were second in the pre Christmas league, as clubs are only allowed one team to qualify for Nationals our B team remain in the West Yorkshire League. Although, it has to be said the competition in the West Yorkshire League is almost as tough as the Regional league. 
The U16Bs faced Birkenshaw Belles, a great match to watch developing players blossoming on both sides. The eventual score was 44-11. Our U14Bs did not have a game this week. 
In the U12 top division our U12(1),  (2) and (3) teams were in action. U12(1) played Huddersfield Giants(1) beating their previous score against them, final score 41-9. The U12(2) took on Yorkshire Terriers winning 22-5 and U12(3) (our U11A) lost 15-7 to a much bigger Wakefield Phoenix (1). 
In the second division the U12(4) (our U11B) played Huddersfield Giants(2), final score 12-7 to us, with great play throughout the court. 
Finally our youngest superstars started out on their netball journey in their first Hi5 match in the West Yorkshire League. Congratulations to all who played and gave 100% effort. They won 29-1 against Yorkshire Terriers. 

SPECTATE
The Prem (1) team are playing Academy at Huddersfield University 1.30pm on Sunday 19th January. Come along and support this top class netball free of charge. 

There are upcoming internationals showing on sky sports mix-

Sunday 19 January 2020
England v New Zealand 4.45pm
Jamaica v South Africa 2.15pm

Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Wednesday 22 January 2020
England v South Africa 7.45pm
Jamaica v New Zealand 5.15pm

Arena Birmingham
Saturday 25 January 2020
England v Jamaica 4.45pm
New Zealand v South Africa 2.15pm

Copper Box Arena, London
Sunday 26 January 2020
1st v 2nd place match
3rd v 4th place match

FUND RAISING RAFFLE
Many thanks to everyone who contributed prizes and bought tickets for our junior raffles before Christmas. Special mentions to the ladies who organised, sold the tickets and raised £460 in total. 
U16s Lou Higgins
U14s Catriona Astbury
U12 Claire Brennan
U11 Kate Shipley
It’s the seniors turn next, let’s see if you can beat the average of £115? If a senior player or parent of a senior player can get in touch with susiestead@hotmail.com and offer to run a raffle that would be brilliant. After all the immediate beneficiaries are the Prem players for transport and dedicated performance coach. 

FUND RAISING DONATION
This week a very generous anonymous benefactor has donated £500 towards our club fund raising drive. On behalf of the whole club please accept our gratitude and thanks. We hope that you will see the club reap the rewards as we move forward with new initiatives. 

UMPIRE SHORTAGE
Do you know anyone interested in learning to become a netball umpire (and become very popular in the process!!) please get in touch with susiestead@hotmail.com
The West Yorkshire Junior Leagues desperately need umpires for Sunday morning matches largely in the M62 corridor.  
Leeds Athletic are keen to support and sponsor prospective umpires, pay for the course and expenses. Please think of anyone inside or outside our netball club male or female looking for a new venture, which is free exercise, indoors with a reasonable payment for two hours umpiring once qualified. 
The testing and training is not a push over and those who have played before will find it easier to succeed, but non players can also apply. 
Please ask around at work or think of a contact who may need a new direction or advertise it at work. Our game cannot be played without umpires please support this initiative. 

DISNEY
There will be a parents meeting at GSAL 7pm on 23rd January to discuss all things Disney. Parents are kindly requested to bring photocopies of your athletes passports and EHIC if they have them available they may or may not be required depending on Brexit. 

AUSTRALIA TOUR
Final meetings going ahead this month to decide which operator to go with for our 2021 Australia tour. Watch this space. Get saving empty the dishwasher and wash Dads car!!

Leeds Athletic Netball Club
www.leedsathleticnetballclub.org.uk
@LeedsAthleticNC

​Very best wishes for a happy successful New Year. 

PERFORMANCE
Our young Netball Nights squad continue to learn lots playing each week against strong, adult opposition and developing at a fast rate. Before Christmas it was a loss to Pitch Slap. 

Depleted numbers against Calderdale in the West Yorkshire Seniors saw a closely contested match. Winning throughout the magnificent seven just lost out by two goals 41-43 final score. 

On the 5th January the Senior Regional team faced a determined Sheffield Stormers. A tough second quarter found them behind by 10 goals rallying in the third quarter the score was 27-27 but then eventually lost by 37-39. 

Great game to start the new year for the  prem 1 squad too against a very tough and competitive Hucclecote team. Out to prove themselves after a poor outing  earlier in the season, they definitely showed their capabilities. 
​
There were some great connections and flow in the game which isn’t always the case after such a long break. Everyone was up for the challenge in the neck and neck game and stayed strong to win their 1v1 battles. Massive shout out to the defence who worked tirelessly and ruthlessly to limit Hucclecote’s attack who were very strong and patient. After a few breaks in the 3rd quarter which ended up being clawed back, LANC were able to hold off Hucclecote in the 4th quarter and solidify the hard work with a 4 goal win. 

Our U16A team had their first Regional League match against West Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Giants victorious once again in a tight match final score line reading 32-21. 
​
Our U14A were also starting their Regional journey towards National finals. A superb 47-10 result with the whole squad taking to court against Sheffield Concord. 

TRAINING
All training back to normal next week. 

ROB BURROW FUND RAISER
Massive congratulations to Mark Boocock our treasurer and coach who organised a brilliant mixed netball tournament on the 5th January. Proceeds raised were in excess of £2000 contributing to the donations previously made for the 37 year old Rob Burrow former Leeds Rhinos player who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease before Christmas. Money was raised from entry fees and a raffle. Many thanks to all who contributed in any way entering a team, volunteer umpires, scoring, score runners and table assistants, raffle prize providers, raffle ticket sellers and to The Edge for offering such brilliant facilities free of charge. BBC Look North were there and Tanya Arnold sports presenter played all afternoon. Woodhouse Grove School were the eventual winners. All in all an excellent event for a great cause, loved by so many and a repeat required next new year, so if you missed out get your trainers polished up for 2021. Anyone wishing to contribute to this cause please follow this link. 
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?charityCampaignUrl=robburrow

​Leeds Athletic Netball Club
www.leedsathleticnetballclub.org.uk
@LeedsAthleticNC