New Zealand-based T&T senior women team netballers, defender Daystar Swift and shooter Kalifa Mc Collin are due to return to active competition in Netball New Zealand's ANZ Premiership on June 19.
This after it was confirmed on the league’s website on Monday that Netball New Zealand and the ANZ Premiership were working through the final phases of their return to play plan, following the government’s decision to move to coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert Level 2.
A 10-week ANZ Premiership season featuring the six clubs is set to resume in June and will be played at one location, Auckland Netball Centre, to meet the Ministry of Health guidelines providing a consistent and controlled venue.
According to the league's website, the priority for teams is to set up safe and compliant training environments. When this is achieved and players and staff have been appropriately inducted, teams will be able to recommence training under Level 2. The revised competition schedule will be announced in due course.
Netball NZ Chief Executive Jennie Wyllie said the team had been working hard to ensure they could get New Zealand’s elite domestic Netball competition up-and-running safely.
"We are really excited to be so close to getting the ANZ Premiership back on court and live on Sky Sport," she said. "We are mindful of playing our role in helping to contribute to New Zealand’s economy in this environment and a start-date for this competition means another part of the economy up and running with more people returning to work."
Before the lockdown came into effect in March, just one round of matches was completed in the ANZ Premiership with the 28-year-old Swift making her debut for Robinhood Northern Steel in a narrow 55-59 loss to Northern Mystics.
Swift was pleased with the decision and is happy to be able to have the chance to resume the season.
"I am elated that the competition has been given the all clear to resume. The additional month before the resumption of games gives us adequate time to train together as a team once more, to be able to give our best performance," said Swift, who is playing her first season as a professional.
"All of the teams were expected to be in continued training sessions, so having had one round of competition under our belt and now four weeks to prepare for the restart, should be good, if not perfect."
Goal-attack Mc Collin was also on the losing side on debut after Splice Construction Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic beat her Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel, 54-48.
The 24-year-old, who previously enjoyed three seasons in the England Vitality Netball League with Celtic Dragons for two years and one with Benecos Mavericks, shared that it has been very difficult in general.
"Being away from my family and friends in a time like this has been pretty difficult, but luckily I have the support from my team-mates, and the management of my club, is only a phone call away," said Mc Collin
"I have been staying positive as I believe we will be resuming within the next four to six weeks. We have continued training sessions within our living bubbles and have also been doing constant Zoom calls to keep the team connected."
On the experience thus far, the daughter of national coach Althea Mc Collin, was quick to point out it was not what she had hoped for thus far.
"This is my first season in New Zealand and moving ahead I think we will be playing in front of empty venues, no crowds, as well as having to stay two metres apart from my team-mates as part of the new health measures due to the COVID-19. But there is light at the end of the tunnel and things are really starting to look up for us over here (New Zealand)."
Games for the 10-week league will be televised live on Sky Sport but will have no crowds to ensure that numbers for a gathering at an indoor venue remain under 100. Strict distancing rules will be applied off the court and Netball NZ has been working through contact tracing mechanisms.
Wyllie said both Netball NZ’s High Performance, NZ Netball Players Association and medical teams had come together to work on a timeframe for enabling athletes to return to the court.
“We have allowed for a four-week training period for teams to get together, following the guidelines put in place by the Ministry of Health, to prepare for the ANZ Premiership.”