The Wallace High School Netball Club has had an excellent 2004 and is looking forward to further successes in 2005.
Highlights of 2004 included three Wallace teams reaching finals , with the Junior team bringing home the Northern Ireland Plate to Clonevin Park.
This was the second year in a row that these players had won the plate, having being victorious at Minor Level in 2003.
The Form one team also had a very promising start to their netball careers, winning all their matches in the Lisburn Development League , defeating FSL by 25 – 3 in the final.
Form four pupil Blessing Ogbobi had a superb sporting 2004. Having represented the South Eastern Education and Library Board on the U15 development squad, she was part of the Silver medal wining team in the Northern Ireland Golden Cow Youth Games in May. In November, Blessing, along with fellow Wallace High fourth years Kayleigh McSweeney and Gemma Kidd, played on the South Eastern squad which won the VI squad Inter Area tournament.
On a national scale, Fourth years Danielle Spence, Rebecca Mitchell , Natasha Kennedy and Blessing Ogbobi have recently been awarded places on the Northern Ireland Under 15 netball developmant squad, meaning that these are certainly names to look out for in the future.
Also in the Northern Ireland arena, last year’s Head Girl of Wallace, Kerri Williamson,was capped for her country at Under 19 level. Kerri also won a SEELB award in recogniton of her sporting achievement.Kerri was offered a place on the Northern Ireland Under 21 squad, but due to her university commitments has been unable to accept. However former Wallace pupil Vicky Graham, currently studying at Stranmillis College Belfast, was able to take up her place on the Northern Ireland Under 21 squad and is looking forward to playing in the World Championships in July.
Recogition of excellence has also gone to Wallace’s coach , Mrs Jackie Portis. Nominated as a City of Lisburn coach of the year, Jackie has been selected as Assistant Coach for the Northern Ireland Under 21 squad travelling to the World Championships in Florida in July 2005.
Manager of netball in Wallace, Miss Ros Farr, commented, “This accoalde is richly deserved. Jackie is an inspirational coach. We wish her every success in Florida. Netball is a flourishing sport here in Wallace and we’re very much looking forward to the forthcoming Area Finals on Friday 28 January, with our Minor and Intermediate teams taking part.”
Last modified: May 15, 2007
