Friday, March 29, 2024

 

Finally!

In November 2012 Tel Aviv Netball was informed that due to safety concerns they would no longer be allowed to use the free-standing netball posts on their court. As a result, the girls had no other choice but to use the basketball rings which of course encroach onto the court making the shooting circle much smaller.

Many hours of attempting to convince the Tel Aviv municipality that netball rules do not permit "slam dunks", indeed during a game players are not allowed to even touch the posts and therefore cannot be considered a danger, did not persuade the powers-that-be. Numerous meetings with the relevant people at the municipality and at the Israel Standards Institute, as well as letters of support from our international netball colleagues, did not change their minds either.

In June 2014, Motti Ambram, the head of the Tel Aviv Sports Department, who understood our frustration and was still trying to find a viable solution, told us that the floor of a court in south Tel Aviv was being renovated so there was a real possibility that we could have holes drilled for sunken posts.

Finally last night – exactly two whole years later – Tel Aviv Netball proudly inaugurated their newly marked court! Players from Ra'anana and Katamon arrived to help last year's league winners celebrate this long-awaited event and a fun evening of great netball ensued.

10 November 2014