WEST Coast Fever will finalise their preparations for the 2019 Suncorp Super Netball season when they host the Melbourne Vixens in two pre-season games in Perth and Mandurah in April.
It is the second consecutive year the club will take a pre-season fixture to the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, with last year’s clash against the Firebirds played in front of a capacity crowd.
Fever’s loyal regional supporters will also be rewarded with a Community Clinic and Open Training Session, ahead of the clash with the Vixens on Saturday, April 13.
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READ NOWCity of Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams said they are excited to host the West Coast Fever again this year, following a sell out last year.
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“It’s a great opportunity to promote women in sport at an elite level,” he said.
“We have so many talented young women involved in sport in our community.
“This is a great opportunity for these women to see their sporting heroes and hopefully have a chance to meet them too.”
Department Sport regional manager Peel/South West Troy Jones said regional Western Australians have often been denied the opportunity to attend major sporting competitions in the metropolitan area due to distance and economic reasons.
“The aim of the Country Sport Enrichment Scheme is to help regional Western Australia experience major sporting events by supporting and assisting international, national and approved state sport league competitions and contests to regions,” he said.
“This is the second year that the CSES has supported West Coast Fever in playing a pre-season match in Mandurah and to complement the match scheme supports a range of community initiatives, including coaching clinics and school visits to communities in the Peel and SW.”
West Coast Fever Managing Director Simon Taylor said it was another exciting opportunity to take netball to the regions.
“We take great pride in representing all of Western Australia on the National stage, and we’re again looking forward to giving back to our loyal fans in the Peel area,” he said.
“We thank the City of Mandurah and the State Government for their ongoing support of our game, and look forward to that relationship continuing into the future.”
Head coach Stacey Marinkovich said it was another great opportunity to get on the court ahead of the season proper.
“We’re certainly looking forward to hosting the Vixens in April,” she said.
“We are eager to test our combinations against as many teams we can, so hosting the Vixens will see us play five of the seven other teams in the competition ahead of Round 1.”
“It’s wonderful to be able to take netball to regional areas and reward our loyal supporters, so we’re excited to play in Mandurah again, and then look forward to another big crowd for the second game at the State Netball Centre.”
The match is also made possible by the State Government’s Country Sport Enrichment Scheme through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Fever has enjoyed a strong start to 2019, with the Club smashing its all time membership record, with more than 3,200 people signing up for the season.