Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THE Bahrain Rugby Football Club (RFC) Netball A team has brushed aside a decade of disappointment to be crowned this year’s DHL Bahrain Netball League champions.
The netball squad, made up of around 20 women of mixed nationalities aged between 17 and 50, are getting an impressive collection of silverware to put on display inside the Janabiya clubhouse trophy cabinet.
Both the A team and the development B team, have fought their way to glory in league and cup competitions.
The A team kick-started an amazing run in September by capturing the opening Think Pink charity challenge trophy before ending the season in superb style, defeating old rivals and defending league champions Ohlala! Actives (Dilmun Club) A in the fnal round of fxtures with a 36-15 result at the British Club in Umm Al Hassam.
The Bahrain RFC A, who trained twice-a-week before the season kicked off, recorded an undefeated league campaign notching 27 points and as GulfWeekly went to press had secured 20 consecutive victories in league and cup competitions.
Their unbeatable spirit is buoyed by a ‘booyah’ scream, which the ladies yell out with their arms raised after a huddle and cuddle at the start of each game quarter break and end.
It fres them up and sends shivers down the spines of the opposition. Helen Hind the club captain has trained her African Grey Parrott to cry ‘go team’ followed by ‘booyah!’ which has become a permanent part of his vocabulary
Hind a British School of Bahrain teaching assistant from Saar said: “We have sociable squad on our hands and our ethos is to have fun while playing the game Win or lose we have always cheered each other on This is a great team to be a part of.
“During previous seasons we may have had to accept second place but this season has been ours and we have been buzzing ”
A team captain Sheron Hujair from Saar who has been playing in the squad for the past eight years, added: “We have waited a long time for this and it’s a well-deserved victory. Booyah to us!”
Netball veteran and captain of the winning 2000-2001 team, Sarah Hobday, is excited about the win. The St Christopher’s Senior School teacher, from Saar, said: “I am thrilled to see the team back on top. It’s where we belong!”
Meanwhile, following on from the A achievements, the B team secured the DHL Knockout Shield title with an impressive victory over Dilmun B in the DHL Cup competition.
The A team, who made it through to the Cup Final, played for the triple crown last night against Ohlala! Dimlun Youth at Bahrain RFC.
Hilary Rowark, the netball squad manager and coach for the past three years, who is also a psychology teacher at St Christopher’s School, said: “I think they are a good bunch of girls that have done extremely well this year. They gelled well together as a team and part of the winning is not just about the skill, it’s more than that. They are a fun, sociable group of ladies that are extremely supportive of one another.”
Hujair, from Saar, added: “It has been an exceptional year because we have an exceptional group of people. We have been playing together for a number of years and are used to each other. We have put in a bit of extra work and training with the help of Hilary. I would like to say well done to the whole squad, it has been a fantastic year.”
The fast-paced Bahrain DHL Netball League is one of the oldest in the Middle East, having been around for more than 25 years and is open to anyone interested in giving the sport a try.
This season, nine teams took part, including the two Bahrain Rugby Club sides, three from the British Club, three Dilmun Club representatives and one from the Sri Lankan Club.
* In other news, the cream of the region’s netball talent will return to Bahrain RFC next March after Bahrain was confrmed as the host nation for next year’s Inter-Gulf Netball Championships. More than 200 netballers from all over the region are expected to descend on the island over the weekend of March 7 and 8 for what will be the frst time Bahrain has hosted the event since the back-to-back tournaments at Bahrain RFC in 2008 and 2009.
THE SQUADS
GS – Sheron Hujair (A Team
Captain)
GA – Ruth Daly
GK – Katy Brand
GD – Helen Hind (BRFC Netball
Club Captain)
C – Jo Mannings
WA – Emma Hull / Sarah Hobday
WD – Jeannine Wessles
SUB – Rita Arrowsmith
SUB – Sheli Mohi
SUB – Jackie Shepherd
GS – Molly Cramp
GA – Tozzie (B Team Captain)
GK – Jessica Vine
GD – Samantha Holloway / Anjie
Mitchell
C – Coral Brooks
WA – Anke Visagie
WD – Abi Parker
