THE final fixture of the WeySports Fast Five Invitational League took place at Redlands Community Sports Hub with Waterside crowned league champions.

First to play were WeySports against Waterside.

Waterside were favourites to win, having won both their previous games. Things started well, with both teams managing to intercept balls and keep scoring to a minimum.

The fast pace of play worked in Waterside’s favour, with WeySports allowing small errors to creep into their game, giving Waterside the opportunity to build their lead. By half-time, Waterside were leading 8-3.

WeySports, however, showed why they are such a great club by maintaining their sense of fun and teamwork throughout the match.

The third quarter saw Waterside dominate the scoring opportunities, while WeySports continued to fight hard against this premiership side.

The final period saw both teams pulling out all the stops, matching each other goal for goal through the short six-minute period. Ultimately, with a score of 22-16, Waterside took the match and the league title with a third consecutive win.

The final match of the Fast Five series featured George Bar and Grill versus Huskies.

The game started hard and fast, with both teams showing impressive movement across court.

The first two quarters were evenly matched, with the teams matching each other goal for goal.

The third quarter remained tight, with some epic defensive battles and phenomenal attacking play from both teams.

The teams entered the final six-minute period with great determination.

George Bar and Grill’s defence seemed to get the measure of Huskies’ shooters and effectively shut down almost all shooting opportunities.

On the other end of the court however, George shooters Rachel Scarff and Laura Jayne Gardner seemed to have got their eye in and effortlessly sunk balls through the net, building their team a precious lead.

Rachel Scarff scored two very impressive four-pointers from outside the shooting circle, cementing her team’s success and allowing George Bar and Grill to walk away with a match win and second place overall in the series.

Juliette Frampton, founder of WeySports Netball Club, said: “The Fast Five series has been a great success and epitomises why I am involved with netball.

“More than 300 ladies play the game in our local league, with many more young boys and girls playing within local school and club settings.

“The recent press regarding netball as not being ‘cool’ appears to go against the grain of what England Netball and Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign represents and it’s certainly against the ethos of WeySports Netball Club.

“I believe it’s important that we encourage more girls and ladies into the sport, either as a way of exercising or making new friends.

“Netball really isn’t the stereotypical sport you remember from school. At WeySports, we have members aged from 13 to ladies in their 60s.

“We are currently implementing a mentor programme for our younger players, in line with new guidelines from the league committee, to help the girls transfer into adult netball and hone their talent.

“It was very rewarding to watch some of our younger players pair up against experienced Premiership players in the Fast Five series. It improved their confidence and showed them that they too could progress to top class players. I would like to thank all the players, umpires and spectators for making the Fast Five series such a huge success.”

For anyone looking to join a netball club, WeySports offers free taster sessions on a Tuesday evening at Budmouth Sports Centre from 7-8pm. Contact Juliette.WeySportsnetball@yahoo.co.uk for more information.