The Diamonds Netball Academy’s Under-9s took to the court for their first-ever match this weekend, and what a performance it was! Facing not just one but two Royals teams, our young squad showed incredible resilience, determination, and skill in their debut outing.

The opening quarter was a learning curve, with the girls finding their feet against well-drilled opponents who have been training together for three years. The early nerves were evident as Royals raced to a 6-0 lead, but from that point on, Diamonds fought back in style. Winning or drawing every quarter except one, the team closed the gap to a highly respectable 14-10 loss—a fantastic achievement considering many of our players have only been training for four weeks!

There were standout performances across the court, and the awards reflected the hard work on display. Matilda and Imogen were named Girls of the Game by Royals, Emmy received the Coach’s Player award from Nora, and Grace D was voted Players’ Player by her teammates.

Grace W was brilliant in her first game, Missy scored a few goals and dominated in the D, Dotty never stopped running brilliantly linking the play up and getting some great intercepts!

One of the highlights of the match came in the final moments, with a stunning team goal that started from a backline pass and flowed seamlessly through the court into the net—a true testament to the potential of this young squad.

While there’s plenty for the coaches to work on, this performance sets an exciting foundation for the season ahead. The U9s will be back at training, eager to build on their debut and continue their development. Watch this space—these girls are only just getting started!