Tuesday, March 19, 2024

 Narrowing the Gap

Tough training sessions, great enthusiasm and dedication, unrivalled team spirit and an extraordinarily strong will to succeed: this is the optimum way to describe the Israel Netball junior and senior teams in the months leading up to the netball tournament in the 18th Maccabi Games.

As was expected, the more experienced teams from Australia, Great Britain and South Africa (juniors only) brought with them similar dedication and great professionalism.

The netball tournament is well-known for being one of the best-run events in the Maccabi Games calendar. True to form, all the games started on time and the team of umpires together with the official bench ran the games efficiently and well.

Israel Netball can be justly proud of both teams' performances at the Games.

Only a few members of the Israeli junior team have previously participated in international events; for the others it was a first-time experience. They should all be commended for the huge improvement in their playing and skills as well as their wonderful charm and vivacity.

As for the senior players, a quick comparison between the scores from the 17th Maccabi Games and those of these games says it all; in a word, their play was phenomenal! The team thoroughly impressed the opposition, spectators and umpiring staff with their skill level, team work and discipline. Such competitive play and determination is not a given, considering that netball is not an officially recognized sport in Israel.

Of all the games, perhaps the most exciting – and certainly the best-attended – was the second game between the British and Israeli senior teams. The two teams were well-matched, the Israeli team having lost to the GB team by only two goals in their previous game. At half-time, the Israelis even had a 4-goal lead over GB. Unfortunately, when the final whistle blew, the GB team had just managed to draw ahead and won the game by 38-37. Despite the huge disappointment for the Israelis, the great affinity between the two teams will undoubtedly continue. Israel Netball is looking forward to the next Maccabi Games in 2013 when they have vowed to beat the Brits…

Netball tournament results

Junior teams

 

Final score 17th Maccabi Games

Final score 18th Maccabi Games

SA vs. Israel

49-7

31-19

Australia vs. GB

69-4

50-15

Australia vs. SA

35-20

64-4

GB vs. Israel

43-14

34-14

SA vs. GB

40-10

12-45

Australia vs. Israel

91-8

68-20

Australia vs. GB

68-5

51-23

SA vs. Israel

77-5

43-18

Australia vs. SA

57-18

65-19

GB vs. Israel

33-9

39-9

SA vs. GB

47-18

16-33

Israel vs. Australia

97-7

71-9

3rd/4th places

40-21

GB vs. Israel

37-28

SA vs. Israel

1st/2nd places

50-17

Australia vs. SA

50-18

Australia vs. GB

 

 

Senior teams

 

Final score 17th Maccabi Games

Final score 18th Maccabi Games

Australia vs. GB

57-12

43-23

SA vs. Israel

66-19

 

GB vs. Israel

33-17

33-31

Australia vs. SA

51-32

 

SA vs. GB

40-27

 

Australia vs. Israel

87-12

47-13

Australia vs. SA

64-26

 

GB vs. Israel

33-16

38-37

Australia vs. GB

80-12

38-31

SA vs. Israel

60-20

 

SA vs. GB

54-13

 

Israel vs. Australia

92-13

45-31

3rd/4th places

47-15

GB vs. Israel

 

1st/2nd places

67-37

Australia vs. SA

42-23

Australia vs. GB