The Hawks Netball Club launched its 2020 Victorian Netball League season recently.
The Hawks are supported by, and affiliated with AFL club, Hawthorn.
Hawks Netball president Shane O’Sullivan was particularly enthusiastic about the upcoming 2020 season and praised the efforts of the committee for its hard work, and to the coaches for placing the club in a very strong position at the beginning of 2020.
With intensive practice matches behind them and training sessions to prepare the squads for a very challenging season, their first home game was fixtured to be held on Wednesday, 1 April at Cardinia Life Stadium in Pakenham before the latest COVID-19 developments put the start of sporting seasons across the region into doubt.
The Hawks are a sister club of the Gippsland Storm Elite Development Netball Club, based in Pakenham. The Storm were well represented at the launch with many of its senior and junior players now playing for the Hawks in the Championship, Division 1, and 19-and-under squads.
Storm’s head coach Simon O’Shanassy and Storm committee members, treasurer Pauline Spain and vice-president Mike Spain, were guests on the night.
Mike Spain was interviewed on the night and was asked how he could see the future for both clubs.
“Well it’s just great to see the progression of our elite juniors into VNL ranks with the Hawks,” he said.
“I’m so impressed with what Shane O’Sullivan has done over the past 10 years with the Hawks Netball Club.
“I can see only good things coming from our close association in years to come.
“One of my observations on the night was that four of the starting seven Championship players for the Hawks are former Storm players: Daisy Hill, (Traralgon) Kaylah Hughes (Berwick), Kelsey Buxton (Inverloch Kongwak), and Taylah Shannon (Berwick).
“The other highlight of the night was to see Keeley Burgmann from Pakenham, one of Storm’s star juniors from last season, and still only 15, now vice-captain and part of Hawks 19-and-under VNL squad.”
