Frequently asked questions
St Monica’s Netball Club
Answers below are expected to provide valuable information that is commonly asked via email/message/phone calls, and assists in relieving the load on volunteers answering many of the same questions.WHERE ARE THE HOME COURTS/CLUBROOMS OF ST MONICAS NETBALL CLUB?
Laurie Knight Reserve - Manningham
WHEN DOES THE SEASON START?
St Monica’s Netball Club runs two seasons – Summer and Winter.The Winter season generally starts in early April, and the Summer Season starts in October.Registrations for the Winter season close in January. Registrations for Summer season close in August each year. Exact dates can be found under Playing Information on our website.WHEN CAN MY CHILD START NETBALL?
St Monica’s offers an introductory program that runs over 8 weeks, 1 hour a week, for 5-8 year olds. We aim to start this each year in early May to finish by the end of term 2. Children can then look to play in 8&U in the summer of that year. Information about registering for this program is on our website and Facebook page each year. It is subject to receiving at least 10 registrations.Do I need Prior experience to play?
We are a community club offering opportunities at all levels. Junior players can start playing with little prior experience. We will try to place players with similar experience together. Seniors we hope have some experience before they start, and we do try to have teams that span a range of skill levels.WHAT ARE THE PLAYING AGE GROUPS?
8&U, 9&U, 11&U, 13&U, 15&U, 17&U, OPEN, age is as of 31.12 in the current year.WHEN ARE GAMES PLAYED?
Winter games are played every Saturday, generally in three time slots: 12pm, 1.30pm and 3pm. City courts have a 4:30pm game time slot.Summer games are played Monday – Friday nights. Further information can be found under Playing Information on our website.
Exact game times are unknown until SAUCNA release the program, generally a week or two before the season starts.WHERE ARE GAMES PLAYED?
Winter Junior games are played at “home” and “away” locations. Home games are at our St Monica’s home courts – Laurie Knight Reserve, Romilly Avenue, Manningham. Away games are at other team’s court locations, according to the teams program. Exact locations are unknown until SAUCNA release the program, generally a week or two before the season starts. Once the program is released, you will be given a copy by your team manager, and it will be available to view on PLAYHQ.All Winter Senior games (17&U and OPEN, and occasional overflow games) are played at the association courts.All Summer games for all age groups are played at the association courts.HOW DO I FIND THE LOCATION OF AN AWAY GAME?
It is always best to confirm with your team manager the exact location of an away game. Often clubs have more than one location. SAUCNA lists venues and maps on their website here.At the city courts, courts number from the South end(1,2,3) to the city end (22,23,24): City Court MapWHEN & WHERE IS TRAINING?
In Winter all teams train at our home courts – Laurie Knight Reserve, Romilly Avenue, Manningham. In 2025 St Monicas is moving to aligned training nights for U8 to U15 grades. Training is compulsory during the Winter season. Players who do not train will receive reduced court time. All team members will typically train with their own team for at least 1 hour during the nominated time block.
U8/U9 - Monday 4:30pm - 6:00pm
U11 - Thursday 5:00pm - 7:00pm
U13 - Tuesday 5:00pm - 7:00pm
U15 - Wednesday 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Open and U17 are not subject to assigned training nights
In Summer, training is at the coaches discretion, and subject to court availability at Romilly Avenue.WHAT ARE THE SEASON FEES?
Season fees are reviewed annually, with the view to encourage players to be able to participate in netball at an affordable rate.As a guide, the fees for Winter 2025 are $155 for all players. The fees for Summer 2024/2025 are $110 for Juniors Competition 8&U - 17&U, and $120 for Open Competition. DOES ST MONICA’S ACCEPT SPORTS VOUCHERS?
St Monica’s Netball Club is an approved provider for sports vouchers.Please download and complete current sports vouchers here: Sports Voucher Parents can claim one Sports Voucher per year worth $100 for each child, provided their child is in the eligible age range (R-Yr 9) and a claim has not already been made in that calendar year. WHEN ARE FEES DUE?
Fees for both the summer and winter seasons are due in full at the time of registration. HOW DO I PAY SEASON FEES?
As part of the registration process on PlayHQ via credit card online. A transaction fee is included in the registration fee charged. For questions regarding fees, please email Tim at: smncfees@hotmail.comHOW DO I REGISTER TO PLAY NETBALL WITH ST MONICA’S?
Via the registration link on our website, or Facebook. Regular players will receive an invitation to register via email.If you are reregistering, PLEASE use the email you have previously used to login and register. Using a new email address creates multiple player profiles and work for the SAUCNA Registrar who has to merge multiple records.WHEN ARE TRIALS?
Refer to Playing Information > Trials for information about Winter Trials. Only junior age groups with multiple teams are asked to trial for the purpose of selecting winter teams. OPEN teams do not currently trial.Summer teams are not subject to trials, teams from winter roll over into summer and we place new players into teams with vacancies, or make new teams.DO I WEAR ST MONICA’S UNIFORM TO TRIAL?
No, uniform is not necessary. Just sporting attire, sandshoes and a water bottle are required. All jewellery must be removed.IS THERE A COST TO TRIAL?
All players who trial must have registered by the cut off date and paid their fees in order to trial. Late registrations may be permitted at the discretion of the management committee.Refunds of registration fees will be paid in accordance with our Refund Policy:Inability to place a player in a team: 100% refund.
Withdraw before selection trials: 90% refund.
Withdraw after the release of selection outcome, or team selections: 50% refund.
Withdraw after the release of SAUCNA team grading/release of draw: 20% refund.
Withdraw after season start: 0% refund. In all cases, the Management Committee can elect to give a full refund in circumstances where it is warranted.WHO DO I CONTACT IF I CANNOT ATTEND TRIALS?
Contact registrar.stmonicasnetballclub@hotmail.com if you cannot attend trials. WHEN WILL I KNOW WHAT TEAM I HAVE BEEN PLACED IN?
You will be notified by email when teams have been released. This is generally within 2 weeks of the final trials. HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TEAM I HAVE BEEN PLACED IN?
You will be notified by email which team you have been placed in. Placements determined by a selection process are final, and will not be altered unless due to player withdrawal.What if I’m not satisfied with my team placement?
Considerable volunteer time is spent to trial and evaluate players for winter teams. Placement decisions are final unless a player in a higher team withdraws and there is room to move a player up. The club will not engage in arguments with parents about who is in which team and why. We will not discuss any other child with another parent.
Selection Policy explains the process in detail.Can I ask to be in the same team as my friend?
The club does not place players in teams based on friendship requests. This includes for reasons of another parent providing transport to matches.
In limited circumstances, a reciprocal request from both parents may be considered. With the understanding the two players would move into the LOWEST graded team the players achieved. The club
will still consider if the request is detrimental to the competitiveness of the teams in question, in which case it still might not be possible.HOW DO I OBTAIN A UNIFORM?
UNIFORMSHOW WILL I GET UPDATED FOR WHATS HAPPENING?
St Monica’s uses many forms of communication:- You will be contacted by email for most communication- Important information is posted on the St Monica’s Netball Club Facebook page- Our website is updated regularly for key dates and forms- Team managers and coaches will set up a contact group via an app, such as WHATSAPP or SPONDHOW CAN I HELP VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORT THE CLUB?
SUPPORT
We rely on parents and spectators to support and encourage all players. This can be done in many different ways – by attending training and matches promptly, undertaking volunteer roles as required and most importantly by role modeling good sportsmanship when spectating. As a spectator, provide only positive encouragement to the players and remember to let the coaches coach, and the umpires umpire.VOLUNTEER
St Monica’s Netball club relies on volunteers. Every committee position is an unpaid volunteer role. We expect that by joining, you will be involved in the sharing the load in order for all children to have the opportunity to play in our club. By relying on volunteers, the cost of participating is kept very low compared to many sports.COACHES
Each team must have a coach. If you would like to coach, but don’t know where to start, the club can support you with coaching clinics and there are many members of our club who will happily help you. Let us know if you are interested. TEAM MANAGERS
Each team must have a team manager.Team managers play a vital role in a team running efficiently. If you feel that you could fill this role you will be well supported. We have a Coach/Team Manager meeting each season to help answer any questions and provide support. CANTEEN/BBQ
Each team is rostered several times throughout the season during home games. All parents are expected to take part when rostered. Money raised via volunteering helps keep the playing cost to a minimum for all participants.SCORING/TIMING
A scorer and timer are required for each game in winter. Summer matches are centrally timed via a siren to start and end quarters. There are some exceptions in summer (overflow courts, finals when a tie occurs). You will receive a roster for these jobs in the winter season from the team manager. HOW CAN I GET FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT UMPIRING WITH ST MONICAS NETBALL CLUB?
Firstly by contacting the club. SAUCNA runs twice yearly umpire induction sessions: https://www.saucna.net/umpire-informationRules of Netball are available on line: https://netball.com.au/sites/default/files/2023-12/World%20Netball%20-%20Rules%20of%20Netball%202024.pdfIncluding new rules for 2024: https://www.saucna.net/rulesupdateIf you wish to be rostered to umpire, you must create a profile in refbook: https://live.refbook.com.au/auth/registrationEmail SAUCNA Umpires saucnaumpires@gmail.com the email address you used to create
your profile, and let them know you are from St Monica’s. They will add you to the association umpires list. You will then be notified of rostering via email, you must accept or decline umpiring assignments, so the club knows you can or can’t umpire.Do we play if it rains?
Yes. Unless the weather is considered dangerous (hail, lightning, gale force winds, high temperatures) games will go ahead.
SAUCNA have an extreme weather policy at the end of the Playing Conditions: https://www.saucna.net/_files/ugd/8bd8cc_227552606ae64bd793396750c955ffd5.pdfClubs will be advised with as much notice as possible if games will be cancelled.I am a Coach or Manager and need to enter match results and squad for a game
Please use this link to the instructions to follow: Entering Results in PlayHQHow Does a Fill in player register?
Coaches and Managers can access PlayHQ, and the "Participant to Team link for their team" Please follow the instructions: Fill In RegistrationWHAT IF I NEED HELP WITH SOMETHING THAT ISN’T ANSWERED IN THESE FAQs?
Email us: stmonicasnetballclub@hotmail.comPlease note that whilst we will endeavour to answer your email as quickly as possible, our club and committee is run entirely by volunteers who may not be able to respond immediately.