Castlemaine netball coach Kate Wastell is bullish about her team’s chances of making the Bendigo Football Netball League A-grade netball finals next season.
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The Magpies attracted great numbers to try-outs last month and have added some quality to an improving line-up.
Wastell led perennial struggler Castlemaine to four wins and seventh place last season – her first in charge – after the Magpies managed just one win in the previous three seasons.
And the star mid-courter has finals in her sights in 2013.
“We are looking to definitely make finals next season and not just in one grade, we are looking to make finals in at least two if we don’t have injuries or anything like that, but we’ve got the depth,” Wastell said.
Last season Castlemaine sometimes struggled to field enough players in each grade, but that shouldn’t be a problem next season.
“No more do we have seven in a team, we’ve got good numbers.
“We’re looking at nines and tens in each team and really strong recruits as well,” Wastell said.
“We’ve only lost two players from A-reserve Jana (Munzel) and Bree (Forrester), everyone else has stayed and there’s been good feedback (from last season).”
Wastell has recently been appointed the School Sport Victoria 15-and-under coach, which she will juggle with her Castlemaine duties.
“It’s a path that most coaches have taken to move up, like Lisa Alexander – she’s the Australian coach now - she started at 15-and-unders and Carol Byers – she’s from Bendigo – and she started there as well and she’s been at the AIS,” Wastell said.
“It’s a stepping-stone. I’ll see where it takes me.”