Netball
In season 2011-12, SSS has 30 teams entered into 5 netball leagues, which makes it the second largest netball league set up in Scotland. Tier 1 has witnessed the success of growing from a 5 team league to a 7 team league in a restructure which ensures competitive netball across all tiers until mid March. League matches are played from the first Saturday in October and many university sides, in Scotland, also play in local and national competitions and leagues.
In addition to the SSS leagues, BUCS offer places to the top Scottish University sides in the national knockouts, culminating in the Championship and Trophy finals at the BUCS Championships in Sheffield in March. For the Tiers in Tier 2 and below, the Conference Cup competition offers a group stage and then knockout Cup for all of those teams to take part in throughout the season. Conference Cup Finals will be held at the University of Dundee on Wednesday 23rd March 2011.
SSS host an annual Scottish Universities Netball Tournament, which will be hosted this year by the University of Edinburgh on Saturday 29th October 2011. All universities are guaranteed at least one team, with the opportunity for more. This event is one of the highlights of the netball calendar and gives all netballing universities the opportunity to be crowned SSS Champions 2011 regardless of what division they play in.
Out with the competitive league programme, SSS Netball offer a representative programme to top university netballers following a trial process. Trials will take place initially at the annual tournament on Saturday 29th October and then followed up by a trail session on Sunday 20 November 2011 at Gorbals Leisure Centre, Glasgow. Trials are open to all university student netballers. All players must have their nomination form in by Friday 28th November and this must be signed by their sports union president. A squad is then selected and train around once per month in Gorbals Leisure Centre, Glasgow, before a final 12 is selected to represent Scottish Universities at the annual Home Nations event where they will play Northern Irish, English and Welsh Universities sides. For an application form to nominate yourself for this squad, please click here.
SSS is dedicated to workforce development and with that in mind, have joined forces with Netball Scotland to deliver an umpiring course and testing day for university netball club members or volunteers. Each university is guaranteed at least one spot on the course, which will be held on Saturday 5th November. More information can be found HERE.
SSS appreciate all members opinions and contributions so if you would like to give any feedback on the programme or the wider aspects of university netball, please e-mail Sarah Gandon, SUS Netball Development Coordinator.
If you want to find out more information on how you can qualify as a netball coach, please check out the Netball Scotland website here.