So rarely do my eldest two show any sisterly allegiance (as I have pondered before) that when they do, I'm ready to pop the champagne corks.

During the week, Cait and her friend/teammate, J. were frustrated with the slacker attitude of half their current local netball team - both in turning up to training and the way they play on Saturdays. The friend also has a younger sister, S. who is the same age as Alison (and a good player - she was in the rep team till she broke her leg iceskating during the April school holidays!).

I was driving Cait and J. back from a training session that was cancelled due to lack of numbers.

"Next year, with Ali and S. going up to Intermediates, maybe you should all play together - with the four of you, that's pretty much half your team covered! " [Our association is so small that divisions are a range of ages - Alison's rep team actually played "up" in the Intermediate division this year, and so they have played against each other.]

The instinctive reaction of the 14 year olds was to poo poo the idea, but it didn't take long for Cait to admit, "Actually, I'd rather play with her than against her." J. admitted the same of her sister.

At home when I told Alison, she at least immediately thought the same, and in the other household the sentiment is the same. (And the parents think it's a great idea too, and only some of that is because it will effectively reduce the training sessions we have to get them to!)

So the idea has gained momentum, and they can hardly wait for this season to be over with now, so they can get happening with a decent team! (And, as the initiators, and the core of the team, they will get to choose who joins them. I suggested they take a leaf out of the Sydney Swans "No Dickheads" recruitment policy. ("They have that? Are you serious, Mum?") (Trust me, that is true, and also, given the attitudes of some (all too many IMHO) teenage girls, it's not inapplicable to your situation!!)

On Saturday, Alison's rep team won on forfeit, so she and S. were just hangin' until we could leave. At half time Cait's team was short when someone came off sick, so over the next two quarters, both Ali and S. filled in. Ali and Cait both play attack, and passed the ball to each other effortlessly. J and S both play great defence, so together they made an impact.

I didn't hear it myself, but apparently when Cait came off she said,
"I can't wait to play with Alison next year!"

Yes, if I could gold plate that, frame it, and hang it on the wall I would.

Labels: kids, netball