BDNA - North East Blaze

VNL what does it mean – this stands for the Victorian Netball League,
this is the competition that Netball Victoria has implemented to replace
State League beyond 2009. The new concept involved Netball Clubs/Groups
from around Victoria submitting a detailed application to Netball Victoria, to
secure one of the Ten (10) licences on offer to be part of the Victorian
Netball League in 2009 and beyond. All VNL licensees will field teams
in Championship Division, Division 1 and 19&Under Division. Looking
towards this Banyule & Diamond Creek Netball Associations had lengthy
discussions throughout the year, with both committees voting and
agreeing to be the key foundation partners for a new Club, North East
Alliance. After a lot of hard work and long hours, North East Alliance,
submitted a detailed application for the VNL. On July 21, Netball Victoria
announced that we were one of the Ten (10) groups to be granted a Licence
for the new VNL – How happy do you think we all were, words could not
express it!

What does it mean to you the Clubs & Players – it means that you are
now a member of one of the foundation partners of one of the new VNL
Clubs, who will provide the final step in our current development pathway,
all the way to VNL. With the Kestrels and Pheonix now gone and the
Vixens competing in the new ANZ Championship, Trans Tasman
Competion, the VNL is a key part of the Victorian pathway, towards that
goal of playing for your State or Country.

How it will work – BDNA & DCFNA will continue to operate as their own
entities for  everything, we will still run our own competitions, run our
own Rep Teams, enter teams  into Parkville, etc. As a foundation partner
of the new VNL Club, which is a separate entity, “North East Blaze
Netball Club”, we will receive benefits in the short and long term.
Details are currently being finalised.

“North East Blaze” will have a new committee, new coaches, a new
uniform, and will train up to 5 times a week, which includes strength
and conditioning sessions. In their inaugural season, “North East Blaze”
are hoping Netball Victoria will fixture them to play at least one Home Game,
here at Banyule Stadium. “North East Blaze”  will also run a Talent
Identification and Development program, looking for and developing up
and coming players from the North East area of Melbourne.

The BDNA board (committee) will be regularly updated by “Blaze”,
(we have three  members on the “Blaze” committee) and will always put
forward the BDNA’s best interests and philosophies. This is a fantastic
new opportunity for BDNA. You should now all break out a bottle of
Champagne and celebrate as “North East Blaze”  is for you the players,
you can now say that BDNA is part of the pathway to the “North East
Blaze”. If anyone has questions you can speak to Chris, who will be happy
to answer them.

The “Blaze” already have a brand new website, will all the latest news,
so check it out at www.northeastblazenetball.com.au
or email info@northeastblazenetball.com.au