Image: Peter Goodman
A little bit of bad luck hasn’t stopped the women’s netball team from Australian Catholic University (ACU), with the girls shooting their way through the UniSport Nationals Div 1 Competition.
The team lost five of their players prior to the competition due to injury and sickness, doing the best they could to string together a solid 10 to take the court.
Team captain, studying a Bachelor of Arts, Rylee Connell, explained the stressful situation.
“We were not sure if we would be able to get a team together,” Rylee said.
“We put our feelers out and asked around the girls who we play netball with and managed to get a team together.”
“From 12 players, down to seven and then back up to ten players was a big effort.”
“One of the girls, health student Ailish McCormack had been called into the team last minute. She raced from Coolangatta airport in her uniformand was put straight out onto the court in the fifth quarter of our first game,” she explained.
Despite the challenging start, the girls from ACU are happy to be on the Gold Coast and are dominating throughout the competition.
“It was a stressful start but we are all glad to be here,” said Rylee.
Image: Peter Goodman
Due to ACU campuses being spread across Australia, the girls hadn’t met each other or played together before the competition opener on Monday morning.
“It is really noticeable against University’s that only have one campus,” Their connections throughout the games are a lot smoother.”Rylee said
The girls from ACU may have only met a couple of days ago, but paramedicine student, Jade O’Shannessy explained that all prior concerns were forgotten once the team took the court.
“We all connected really well once we started playing,We are doing different combos, it’s not just the same seven on the court all the time,” said Jade.
Image: Peter Goodman
Now in her seventh year representing ACU, Rylee said she most enjoys the people when competing at the UniSport Nationals Div 1.
“It is really hard to not make friendships," she said.
“It’s a lot of money to get here but every dollar is worth it,” Rylee said.
The girls from ACU with take the court again at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre on Wednesday hoping to progress to finals playoffs.