St Andrews Netball Club Policies
Team Formation
St Andrews Netball Club are committed to building community through sport and want all club members to feel part of our St Andrews community regardless of which team you play in. As a club, we would like all our teams to be competitive, friendly and inclusive, regardless of the division any team may be allocated (although we do not have final say in each team division – ERNA decides). We strive to develop players, coaches and umpires to their full potential and seek to balance the needs / wants of individuals with the needs / wants of our club community. We would like parents and players to feel positive about joining our club and not just focus on an individual team.
We know that forming teams and determining grades is difficult and there is not a perfect system. With this in mind, we have created team allocation guidelines that help us form teams and honour our commitment of building community through sport.
- We strive to place kids of similar skill / ability together as we
believe this is better for player development and allows fitment into the
competition structure we play in at ERNA - We aim to have at least 1 team in each age group and ideally, have more
than 1 team in each age group. This sometimes requires players playing up an
age group.
When we do have more than 1
team in an age group, we seek to have these teams placed in different divisions
where possible. We feel this is in the best interest of our club and player
development.
Training is an important
part of each teams’ season and we know training location and day can impact
player availability. Player availability can be taken into consideration when
forming teams if needed. Teams need to be conscious that coaches must also be
available at this training location / day. - To help us in our team formation process, we hold a team grading day so
we can see how players work together and how we can best form teams that meet
individual and club needs. We also take coach and grading committee feedback
from during the previous season into consideration. - We ask parents to advise us of restrictions (training time / day /
location) and wishes (playing with friends / up an age group etc) at the time
of registration via our registration form. We may not be able to accommodate
all individual requests, however will consider all requests.
Grading Day
On Grading Day, players will trial in two nominated positions. In order to fill courts, there may be some players asked to play positions they have not nominated.
Independent graders will watch players, taking into consideration:
- Potential to improve
- Ball control
- Passing/catching technique
- Footwork
- Shooting accuracy if applicable
- Defensive Skills
- Speed and Accuracy
- Fitness
We request that parents, coaches and other family members do not approach the selectors at any time and it is requested that parents do not stand courtside on the same side of the court as the graders.
The graders and committee will then consider:
- Teamwork/attitude/sportsmanship
- The balance of positions (defence, mid
court and shooting positions) in the configuration of a team. - The overall number of players per team (aim
for 9 players per team) - The rules of ERNA for team selection in
configuring teams.
Team Announcement
Teams will be announced via email to parents prior to submission to ERNA. In some cases, we may phone a parent to discuss prior to the announcement to assist with the team formation process.
Appeals
If a player/family believes that there has been an unfair placement of their child or themselves, they can contact juniors@standrewsnetball.com.au and president@standrewsnetball.com.au within 5 days of team notification. This will be reviewed by the Committee and the decision communicated back via email or phone.
Once teams are submitted to ERNA, the teams are final.
It is the expectation of the club that parents/carers and players are reasonable in their expectations of the Committee and graders, the expertise of the St Andrews Netball Club and the processes in place to ensure fair and accurate grading.
Late Registrations
Late player registration after being advised of cut off via email and via the WNC website are at the discretion of the junior or senior coordinator and dependent on team numbers and formations. If there is availability, registrations will be reopened.
Late Withdrawals
Once teams have been announced, players wishing to withdraw will be accommodated however it remains at the discretion of the St Andrews Netball Club to refund the registration fee – please see refund policy.
Codes of Behaviour
As a member of St Andrews Netball Club you agree to comply with these policies. You must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Netball Australia, Netball NSW and affiliated member organisation or an affiliated club:
Players, parents, spectators, coaches and umpires are to observe their respective Aussie Sports Code of Behaviour as outlined below. Failure to observe the Code of Behaviour may result in the offending person(s) being brought before the Executive Committee for an explanation and possible disciplinary action.
CODE OF BEHAVIOUR – PLAYER
- Participate because you enjoy it, not just to please parents and coaches.
- Play by the rules.
- Know the rules.
- Participate fairly and safely.
- Abide by decisions, without argument or bad temper.
- Never argue with an official. If you disagree, have your captain or coach approach the official during a break or after the game.
- Captains are to approach the umpire in a courteous and polite way.
- Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials or other players, deliberately fouling or provoking an opponent and throwing equipment is not acceptable or permitted in any sport.
- Treat all players as you would like to be treated.
- Ensure that at all times your behaviour is fair.
- Be a patient and enthusiastic supporter of fellow players.
- Applaud all good play, by your own team and opponents.
- Be a responsible team member.
- Always be on time.
- Encourage and assist all players.
- Attend all training sessions.
- Ensure you always bring the appropriate uniform and equipment to training and/or matches.
- Do not engage in practices that affect sporting performance (alcohol, tobacco and drug use).
- Respect and acknowledge the contribution of those who create the opportunity for you to play including (volunteers, scorers, coaches, administrators & umpires).
- Care and respect the uniform and equipment provided to you.
- Be frank and honest with your coach concerning illness and injury and your ability to train and play fully.
- Conduct yourself in a responsible manner relating to language, temper and punctuality.
CODE OF BEHAVIOUR – COACH
- Treat all players with respect at all times. Be honest and consistent with them. Honour all promises and commitments both verbal and written.
- Promote a climate of mutual support among your players. Encourage players to respect one another and to expect respect for their worth as individuals regardless of their level of play.
- Encourage and facilitate players’ independence and responsibility for their own behaviour, performance, decisions and actions.
- Involve the players in decisions that affect them.
- Determine, in consultation with the players, what information is confidential and respect that confidentiality.
- Provide feedback to players in a caring sensitive manner to their needs. Avoid overly negative feedback.
- Refrain from any form of personal abuse towards your players. This includes verbal, physical and emotional abuse. Be alert to any forms of abuse directed toward your players from other sources while they are in your care. (Abide by Netball NSW Member Protection Regulation).
- Refrain from any form of harassment towards your players. Treat all players fairly within the context of their sporting activities, regardless of gender, race, place of origin, athletic potential, colour, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs and socio-economic status.
- At all times use appropriate training methods which will benefit the players and avoid those which could be harmful. Ensure that the tasks, training, equipment and facilities are safe and suitable for age, experience, ability and physical and psychological conditions of the players.
- Ensure the players time spent with you is a positive experience. All players are deserving of equal attention and opportunities. Provide training and game opportunities that ensure everyone has a reasonable chance to succeed and to improve/acquire skills and develop confidence.
- Recognise individual differences in players and always think of the player’s long term best interests.
- Set challenges for each player which are both achievable and motivating.
- Respect the fact that your goal as a coach for the player may not always be the same as that of the player. Aim for excellence based upon realistic goals and due consideration for the participant’s growth and development.
- At all times act as a role model that promotes the positive aspects of sport and of netball by maintaining the highest standards of personal conduct and projecting a favourable image of netball and of coaching at all times.
- Respect other coaches and always act in a manner characterised by courtesy and good faith.
- Acknowledge the oppositions coach before the game and shake hands / thank them after the game
- Accept and respect the role of officials in ensuring that competitions are conducted fairly and according to established rules.
- Know and abide by netball rules, regulations and standards, and encourage players to do likewise. Accept both the letter and the spirit of the rules and keep a copy so that you can refer to them if and when needed.
CODE OF BEHAVIOUR – PARENT/GUARDIAN/SPECTATOR
- If
your child is interested, encourage them to participate in the appropriate
netball activity. However, if your child is not willing to
participate, do not force him or her. Remember, children are involved
in organised activity for their enjoyment, not yours. - Focus
upon your child’s efforts and performance rather than the overall outcome
of the event. This assists your child in setting realistic goals
related to his/her ability by reducing the emphasis on winning. - Teach
your child that an honest effort is as important as victory, so that the
result of each game is accepted without undue disappointment. - Encourage
your child to always play according to the rules. - Never
ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a game. - Remember
that children learn best from example. Applaud good play by all
players. - If
you disagree with an umpire or coach raise the issue through the
appropriate channels rather than questions their judgement and honesty in
public. - Support
all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse. - Recognise
and respect the value and importance of volunteer administrators, coaches
and umpires. They give up their time and resources to provided
recreational activities for players and deserve your support. - Be
a model of good sports behaviour for children to copy. - Be
courteous in communication with administrators, coaches, players and
umpires. Teach children to do likewise. - Support
the use of age appropriate development activities. - Most
players participate in netball activities for fun. They are not
participating for entertainment of spectators only. - When
watching a game congratulate both teams upon their performance regardless
of the games outcome. - Respect
the umpires’ and coaches decisions. If there is a disagreement,
follow the appropriate procedure in order to questions the decision and
teach children to do likewise. - Never
ridicule or scold a player for making a mistake during a competition. - Condemn
the use of violence in any form, be it by administrators, coaches,
players, umpires or parents/guardians. - Show
respect for your team’s coach, the umpire and opponents. Without
them there would be no game. - Demonstrate
appropriate social behaviour by not using foul language, and not harassing
administrators, coaches, players or umpires.
CODE OF BEHAVIOUR – UMPIRE
- Treat
all players with respect at all times. - Accept
responsibility for all actions taken. Exercise reasonable care to
prevent injury by ensuring players play within the rules. Reasonable
care consists of advising the players of illegal body movements, showing
due diligence in detecting infringements and penalising rule breakers. - Place
the safety and welfare of the players above all else. Although it is
the responsibility of umpires to ensure that the playing conditions are
safe, in the end it is the associations decision. - Umpires
must be impartial and maintain integrity in their relationship with other
umpires, players and coaches. - Avoid
situations which may lead to a conflict of interest. - Be
courteous, respectful and open to discussion and interaction. - Value
the individual in sport. Ensure the players have the opportunity for
discussion with you after the match. - Seek
continual self improvement through performance appraisal and regular
updating of competencies. Maintain or improve your current badge
level and seek continual improvement. - Encourage
inclusivity and access to all areas of officiating. Aim for
excellence based upon realistic goals and due consideration for growth and
development. - Be
a positive role model in behaviour and personal appearance by maintaining
the highest standards of person conduct and project a favourable
image of netball and umpiring at all times. - Refrain
from any form of personal abuse towards players. This includes
verbal, physical and emotional abuse. - Refrain
from any form of harassment towards players. Treat all players
fairly within the context of their sporting activities, regardless of
gender, race, place or origin, athletic potential, colour, sexual
orientation, religion, political beliefs, socio-economic status and other
conditions. - Show
concern and caution towards ill and injured players. You should
enforce the blood rule and apply procedures regarding ill or injured
players according to the rule book. Common sense must be applied in
all cases.
CODE OF CONDUCT – ADMINISTRATORS
- Be
fair, considerate and honest in all dealings with others. - Be
professional in, and accept responsibility for your actions. Your
language, presentation, manners and punctuality should reflect high
standards. - Resolve
conflicts fairly and promptly through established procedures. - Maintain
strict impartiality. - Be
aware of your legal responsibilities. - Develop
a positive sport environment by allowing for the special needs of the
players by emphasising enjoyment and by providing appropriate
development and competitive experiences. - Involve
players in the planning, leadership, evaluation and decision making
relating to the activity. - Ensure
activities, equipment and facilities are safe and appropriate to the
ability level of participating players. Activities, rules,
equipment, lengths of games and training schedules should take into
consideration the age, ability and maturity level of participating
players. - Ensure
that everyone emphasises fair play in netball activities and games. - Where
appropriate distribute a Code of Behaviour sheet to coaches, players,
umpires, parents and spectators.
Refund Policy
Change of Mind
Your netball registration fee has three components, paid to St Andrews Club, ERNA Association and Netball NSW. If you wish to withdraw registration prior to grading you will receive a full refund less an administration fee of $15.00.
Once teams have been announced, players wishing to withdraw will be accommodated however the amount refunded will vary depending on club costs and whether the ERNA association and/or Netball NSW fees are refundable at the time.
Generally, once the season has started and you have played a game, late withdrawals are non refundable.
Exceptional Circumstances
We understand that sometimes there are unforeseeable circumstances that may arise for you or your family. If you communicate these as soon as possible to your coordinator they will work with our Club Registrar to reimburse available registration fees.
Processing of Refunds
Please contact our Junior or Senior Coordinator to request a registration withdrawal and refund via email:
juniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
seniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
The club Registrar will then request a refund on your behalf. Your Coordinator will contact you to confirm the amount refundable once we know.
Active Kids Vouchers are non-refundable once they are allocated to St Andrews Netball club due to Service NSW terms and conditions.
Please note, refund processing times are subject to St Andrews receiving refunds from Netball NSW and ERNA which can take several weeks.
If you have not received funds four weeks after a payable refund has been confirmed, please contact your Coordinator directly so we can follow up. Please be patient – typically this process has been very challenging since the introduction of the PlayHQ system, and refunds do take a long time without communication from Netball NSW or ERNA when money is transferred.
Complaints
If you have a grievance to raise, please contact your relevant coordinator or the president via email.
juniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
seniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
president@standrewsnetball.com.au
We will review all required information and respond to you within two weeks.
Please note: if your grievance relates to matters that occurred during a game, please ensure you followed the correct procedures at the time to address this as per our “Game Day Info” section. If this hasn’t been completed, it is difficult for us to follow up with ERNA or other clubs.
Game Day Info
Each Saturday you will need to have the following items/tasks complete before the game:
- Ensure there are post pad
protectors on the goal posts on your court prior to the game commencing.
These can be picked up from near the ladies toilets (in the
canteen building) at Meadowbank or between the canteen and scoresheets at Brush
Farm. - The team needs to have
their equipment bag with balls and patches or bibs. - If you are the team listed first
in the fixtures, someone from the team must report to the fixture table
(Meadowbank, upstairs at the ERNA building. Brushfarm, the canteen) to
collect the score sheet. - Check
the names are written correctly on the score sheet and any team member who is away must be crossed
off. - Someone must score with a
member of the opposing team preferably near the center circle.
We suggest setting up a timetable with the parents so the duty can be shared
around the team.
Incidents during the game
Like with any sport, sometimes things do not proceed the way they should. It may be aggressive behaviour on court, inappropriate sideline behaviour, or that the umpires are struggling to control the game.
All of these issues need to be reported while the game is playing, do not wait till the end of the game, please go to the umpires table and report the incident. The umpires table at Meadowbank is around the corner from the canteen (where the physio lives) and at Brush Farm you should report to where you collect your scoresheets. If you are unable to leave the court at Meadowbank, please call Meadowbank Control 9874 2190. The sooner you report the issue, the better – so please, if you are concerned the game is getting dangerous, do something straight away.
If you are concerned about a recurring problem, please notify your relevant coordinator or the club president and we can seek further action with ERNA. Please do not ignore the problem – the games are here for enjoyment. Our committee members can be contacted via email:
juniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
seniors@standrewsnetball.com.au
president@standrewsnetball.com.au
Injured Players
If a player injures themselves while playing netball on Saturday, ERNA offers a physio next to the umpire’s table. This is a free service available to all players, if a player is injured please get them checked out. If any player requires any strapping they are available to assist, please note if your daughter is not injured and does not provide tape they charge a small fee for taping. They also have ice packs and wheel chairs available if necessary. Please report injuries to the physio. If a player needs to claim on insurance, the paperwork can be found on the ERNA website (or contact committee for further information).
Borrowing Players
If you find your team does not have the full 7 to play on court you may borrow players from another St Andrews Netball team. You may only borrow a player from a team below your grade (ie a team number higher than yours and a grade lower than yours -you cannot borrow from teams in your own grade).
A borrowed player may only play up 2 games for any one grade, but can play a total of 4 games in a higher grade ie if they play in 12/4’s, they can play 2 games in 12/2’s and 2 games in 13/4’s but they CANNOT play 3 games in 12/2’s. Please ensure you are aware of the times you/your child has been borrowed. We ask managers to keep a record of players borrowed from their team.
A player may only play up for a team no more than two years older than her own age. This means, a 12yo who is playing under 13’s can only be borrowed to a 13yo or 14yo age group, not a 15yo.
Borrowing players’ checklist
- Contact the manager before borrowing
a player - The player is from a lower
grade and not more than two years younger (regardless of age group they
play) - The player has not played
more than 4 times in any team other than their own, and not more
than 2 games with your team. - You must record the borrowed
player on the score sheet in the allocated area under your
team. You need to record name (as it appears on the team list photo
sheet), team number and grade.
If you are in doubt when borrowing a player, please contact either the junior or senior coordinator.
Forfeiting a game
To play a Saturday game you must have 5 players from your team on the court. If you cannot provide 5 of your own team players, you must forfeit. To forfeit you must contact the junior or senior coordinators or the president at least 2.5 hours before the game begins. If you do not contact us before this time ERNA will fine your team if no one turns up and no notification has been given. Please ensure your message has been received – it will be best to call one of us.
Junior Coordinator – Sasha 0451 170 913 / Kellie 0433 028 555
Senior Coordinator – Sarah 0429 213 613
President – Laura 0411 202 791
When notifying the committee member of the forfeit you will need to provide the following information:
- Your team number e.g. Team 6
- Your grade e.g. Under 14’s div
2 - The team you are playing against
and their team number (this information can be found in the draw on the
ERNA website)
Please make sure you contact us directly and your message is received – we will acknowledge it if received. Please call if no response is received to your message. And continue to call other committee members. We all have families, and are also involved in our own children’s sport on Saturdays so cannot always get to our phone. Alternative committee contacts can be found on the committee contact page.
Please keep track of how many times your team forfeits. Teams are only able to forfeit twice throughout the season. If teams forfeit 3 or more times, they can be fined up to $200.
Wet weather
Please be advised that games are always on unless you are advised otherwise. Wet weather cancellations will be communicated as soon as possible via the managers WhatsApp group. It will also be posted on our social media pages and ERNA’s social media. Please note, that with the state of the courts at Meadowbank, games may be cancelled in what may seem otherwise ok conditions. This is an OH&S issue and despite lobbying attempts, court conditions have not been rectified. In 2026 we will be moving to a new facility which is under construction.
Duty
As a community club, we are reliant on our volunteer base to function. We appreciate the effort all of our members go to in supporting the club to be able to provide opportunities for everyone to enjoy the game of netball.
Throughout the season, all teams will be expected to provide volunteers for canteen or table duty. Your manager will be contacted advising the duty requirements and will then reach out to the team. We like to think that with the manager already volunteering their time to manage, other club members may be able to give an hour or so of their time for duty.
Committee Contacts
| Name | Phone | ||
| President | Laura Bosci | president@standrewsnetball.com.au | 0411 202 791 |
| Junior Coordinator | Sasha DeMelo Kellie Clarke | juniors@standrewsnetball.com.au | 0451 170 913 0433 028 555 |
| Senior Coordinator | Sarah Gaunson | seniors@standrewsnetball.com.au | 0429 213 613 |
| Registrar | Karren Metcalfe | registrar@standrewsnetball.com.au | |
| Secretary | VACANT | secretary@standrewsnetball.com.au | |
| Umpiring Coordinator | Sheree Klein | umpiring@standrewsnetball.com.au | 0405 838 790 |
| Coaching Coordinator | Vanessa Fierens | coaching@standrewsnetball.com.au | 0451 002 365 |
| Uniform Coordinator | Tammy Paartalu and Sarah Southgate | uniforms@standrewsnetball.com.au | – |
| Duty and Socials Coordinator | Ngaire Goodwin | socials@standrewsnetball.com.au | – |
| ERNA Delegate & Sponsorship | Vicki Masulans | ||
| Treasurer | Mel Emeleus and Rachael Parrott | Please contact President for any issues | – |
