Netball Queensland is excited to announce the launch of Special Olympics Unified Sports Netball, a new division within our social netball competition that celebrates inclusivity and brings together players of all abilities on the court.
Proudly supported by Special Olympics Australia, Unified Netball creates a welcoming environment where athletes with and without disabilities can compete side by side, fostering teamwork, friendship, and a shared love of the game.
This groundbreaking initiative is open to players aged 14 and over, whether you’re joining as part of a complete team or registering as an individual to be matched with others.
The eight-week competition is completely FREE, with all participation costs covered by Special Olympics Australia.
Teams consist of a maximum of 10 players, with seven players on court at any time: four unified athletes with an intellectual disability and three unified partners without a disability.
To ensure balanced and inclusive play across the court, there should ideally be no more than one unified partner in each third of the court where possible.
The competition starts on Monday, April 20, with all matches played on Monday nights.
Whether you have a full team ready to compete or you’re looking to join individually and be placed with a squad, we welcome you to be part of this inclusive competition.
We’re also actively seeking passionate coaches and umpires to support Special Olympics Unified Sports Netball.
These are paid opportunities, and anyone interested is encouraged to contact NQ Workforce Development Coordinator Natalie Parsloe at natalie.parsloe@netballq.org.au.
Special Olympics Unified Sports Netball represents an important step forward in making our sport accessible to everyone. Join us in creating a competition where ability, inclusion and the true spirit of netball shine together.
For more information visit: https://qld.netball.com.au/unified-netball. Teams can register here. Individual registrations can be made here.
