FINALLY, Ballarat Bullldogs supporters get a chance to watch their players up close in tournament action.
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The Bulldogs are set to host their first netball carnival at Ballarat Netball Association's Llanberris-based courts on June 16, having played in carnivals in Warrnambool and Horsham earlier in the year.
While the Bulldogs are best known for their football success in the Football Integration Development Association, the club has been working to build up its netball ranks.
As part of this, the club launched a NetSetGO program for all-abilities juniors aged five to 11 years old.
Bulldogs netball coach Kelsey Shaw said it had been an exciting time for the club's netball program.
Shaw said there was still work to do in finding a way to bridge the gap between NetSetGO and seniors, which started at age 14, especially in developing match skills.
The club has received a Woolworths pick fresh play netball grant to help upgrade the Bulldogs' equipment and uniforms for NetSetGO, fund court hire, host the upcoming carnival, assist with travel to other carnivals and ensure fresh food to be match-ready.
"NetSetGo has been a great program for kids of all-abilities to learn netball in a fun, collaborative learning environment and hopefully make the transition from that level to the senior program," Shaw said.
"The progression the club has made, including football and netball, and the opportunities this has extended have been great."
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The Ballarat carnival is a chance for the Bulldogs to champion inclusion and encourage active lifestyles. Shaw said it was nice to be closer to home for the club's passionate supporters to better get behind the team.
Ballarat Bulldogs sport a mixed gender netball team.
The football team reached the 2023 grand final in FIDA's open B-grade mixed competition.
The Bulldogs are sitting eighth in A-grade on two wins from five matches in the 2024 season and a second team, Bulldogs Red, are also two wins from five matches in C-grade.
Both teams play away at Ringwood on June 16 and next play at home at White Flat Oval on June 23.
FIDA runs a not-for-profit competition for people with intellectual disabilities to play the game.
