SAINTS JUNIOR GRADING INFORMATION FOR 2017

  1. WHY GRADE?
  1. Netball is a competitive (scoring) sport from 10 years, with representative opportunities. Grading ensures that all players of varying abilities get to play with and against players of similar skill level. To ensure our teams have the best opportunities it is important to remember that they are playing against teams that have gone through the grading process at their own clubs.
  2. Stronger players enjoy the challenge of harder competition and do not develop to their potential if in a lower team just to be kept with a friend. Similarly, players in teams above their ability will not develop to their potential when constantly overshadowed by other players. These players may become disheartened and lose self-esteem. Grading helps to produce a fairer level of competition, a better fit within a team, greater individual confidence and a more constructive learning experience.
  1. WHAT’S THE PROCESS?
  1. Coach’s evaluation report- at the end of the season each coach will complete a confidential evaluation report for their team.
  2. Assessment by graders- during the season our grading committee will watch games/training and record notes for grading purposes.
  3. Paper grading- the coach’s evaluation and the graders’ notes will be cross checked to help form teams.
  4. Practicalgrading session- during this session (in February) the grading committee will observe the girls play in order to confirm or make changes to the paper graded teams.
  1. OTHER INFORMATION
  1. All junior players who are registered, and financial, to play in a competitive team in the Saturday competition will be required to attend the practical grading session. Online registration is not considered complete until paid therefore unfinancial members will not have a spot in a team until payment is received.
  2. If unable to attend the practical grading session you need to email the Saints Secretary prior to grading day. If unable to attend, the player will be placed in a team at the discretion of the grading committee. Saints email is
  3. If there are extenuating circumstances regarding team placement for your child please email Saints Secretary at least 1 week prior to the grading dates. “Extenuating circumstances” will be at the discretion of the executive who shall liaise with our Member Protection Officer.
  4. Information regarding dates and times for the practical session will be publicised on Saints website (saintspmnc.nsw.netball.com.au)and facebook page (Port Macquarie Saints Netball Club)
  5. Every effort will be made to place players in a team that, where possible, is appropriate to their ability level.
  6. There is no guarantee of maintaining a player’s position in a particular team from season to season.
  7. To be considered for the Saints grading committee it is preferable that the following criteria is met:
  • Has completed the Netball Australia Selectors course
  • Foundation level coaching qualification (minimum)
  • Participated in the Saints coaching pathways
  1. All decisions made by the grading committee shall be final. Much discussion and many hours are put into collating teams therefore we ask that all decisions are respected.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  1. Does this mean I won’t get to play with my friends?
  • No, it does not. Most of our teams, due to paper grading, have most players of a similar ability. There may be some changes but it doesn’t mean that everyone is going to be split up.
  1. What if my daughter plays in an age group above…..which grading day should I attend?
  • You will only need to attend 1 practical grading session. Where they are placed will depend on the numbers of registrations in the age groups and the player’s ability. There are only a few cases of this in our club and graders are aware of these players as it is noted on the assessment sheets. Once registrations close we know the numbers and can predict if this may be an issue so can advise you then as to which session to attend.
  1. What if my daughter is in a team without her friends?
  • We encourage our players to accept their team and make new friends, even if at different schools. New friendships are part of a team sporting experience. The support of parents in accepting the new team is greatly encouraged to empower our girls with life skills.
  1. I am new to town. What should I do?
  • Make sure you attend the practical grading session to avoid disappointment in team placement.
  1. How will I find out which team I am in?
  • Teams will be publicised on the Saints website late February.
  1. What if I’m not happy with my child’s grading?
  • Give the process a chance. Your initial disappointment may change to something positive if you allow this to happen. And please remember that this is a complex process with a lot of time and thought put into it.
  1. What about the feedback results?
  • The committee sought feedback on this issue via feedback sheets in 2016. When asked the question about a grading day, opinions were evenly divided and therefore the committee looked closely at the more detailed written feedbacksubmitted and adopted the direction considered to be the best for the club as a whole. We did discuss the possibility of only grading some teams but there were too many complexities arising from this that led to inequality, hence the decision to grade all teams.