Switch to help families

The Broome Netball Association has announced it will move its junior game fixtures forward in an effort to hold their competitive edge alongside the junior football program and support local families.

The association has changed the fixtures for junior games from Mondays to Saturday mornings for a trial year with the intention of easing pressure on sporting parents and playing on similar terms with other sports at Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre.

Affected divisions include the seven to 10-year-old NetSetGO, 12s and under, 14s and under and under-16s divisions from the start of the season on April 29.

Junior Netball committee member Louise Lydeamore said using the BRAC sporting grounds on the same day as football's Auskick matches would create a social, relaxing sporting atmosphere for children and parents on Saturdays.

"The aim is to create a junior community sports gathering, they have football on the ovals already so we're planning to create a sports hub at BRAC," she said.

"There shouldn't be any issues - often families are stretched with the different venues, but we're hoping that if we bring everything into a sports hub, that would help families manage their time".

The popular junior football program is expected to draw its usual strong community support on registration day at the Broome Boulevard on Saturday, March 19, from 9.30am-11am.

The netball association is following suit, opening its junior netball registration on the same day, to be followed by club development camps in early April and proposed beach netball in May.

Lydeamore said the netball association was determined to keep pace with the football scene in Broome, promote netball as a mixed-gender sport and overcome any challenges.

"Our aim is to increase the profile of netball because football has always had a really strong profile within the Broome community - we're just trying to open people to netball and make sure they know it's for more than just girls too."

Lydeamore said she was confident BRAC could provide the necessary space for all Auskick players and netballers because of its parking and food and beverage facilities.

"It's a good resource that's under-utilised," she said.