OLDHAM Netball Club will resume its National League campaign at the end of September.
Grotton-based head coach Debbie Hallas admitted the last 18 months have been a challenge for the club without competitive action.
Debbie explained: “It has been difficult as venues, including schools, have not been keen to let people in.
“We play at Oldham Sports Centre which has also been used as a Covid centre which has complicated things further.”
Oldham were crowned National League champions for eight of nine years up to 2019-20 but there was no play in 2020-21.
Oldham Netball Club, which has nine junior and four senior teams, managed to play outdoors on occasions but Debbie added it was stop-start because of the various restrictions.
Debbie believes the club has maintained the nucleus of its members, both adult and junior, as they are all keen to return to competitive action.
“There has been the odd player who has found a new hobby, but in the main most are keen to play and socialise again,” she said.
Debbie is also managing director of Manchester Thunder who finished runners-up in the 2021 Vitality Netball Superleague and claimed third place in the play-offs.
As elite sport Thunder, whose team includes Grasscroft’s Alicia Scholes, were able to fulfil their season, though fixtures were played at centralised venues and there were financial pressures from having no fans and being able to generate little revenue.
Thunder, who were forced to undertake a strategic review of operations and cut back on off-the-court staff, should be able to welcome back fans for the 2022 season which begins in February.
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