BUDE Netball Club’s top U14 side has just completed an outstanding season competing at regional league standard for the first time in the club’s history.

This has enabled them to play sustained league matches against the top club sides from across the southwest, including Dorset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Avon, East Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Jersey.

Rockets earned their right to compete at this level through two separate qualifying tournaments; the initial one at Exeter University where they defeated one of the city’s own club sides in taking the runners up spot, and then following this up with a tremendous performance at the Clifton seeding tournament in October.

With superb results against Bridgewater and St Agnes, a 15-15 draw versus Team Bath, and a narrow defeat to Jersey, the tournament went to the wire.

In the final stages Bude lost out on a Division One placing on the narrowest of margins following a 19-18 defeat against Cornish side Saints and missing out on mere goal average.

The team were then placed in Division Two of the South West U14 regional league, the highest level of competition available to club sides. With one round of matches still to be completed at the end of the month, Bude have finished their schedule with a stunning six out of six victories enabling them already to claim the Division Two title.

The team’s wins were over Cirencester (26-10), Yeovil (47-13), Devizes (46-18), Bridgewater (49-14), Lawn (32-9), and St Agnes (42-29).

Sharon Box said: “It has been tremendous seeing this team competing at this level, gaining excellent experience, developing as players and working flat-out to achieve their 100% results, particularly a hard-fought encounter with Cornish rivals St Agnes who travelled to Bude unbeaten.”

The squad has played with great spirit and have been brilliantly supported by their families and friends throughout the season.

Rockets players were: Tillie Cholwill, Millie Coates, Ava McDiarmid-Hall, Sascha Mees (Captain), Georgia Bolton, Fran Fox, Hannah Harrington-Hardy, Charlotte Gamble, Bella Russell, Zoe Woods and Marie Poole.

Around this excitement Bude Netball Club has also fielded six other junior sides at High Five, Under 12 and Under 14 levels who continue to compete in the North Devon League at Barnstaple on a regular basis.

Great progress is being made by these sides and a first opportunity for many of the players to represent their club.

Bude’s three senior sides are continuing to have a very positive season. Their youngest side ‘Jets’ — who last year led the way for Rockets with success at the South West regional tournament in Bath — are now competing in the Senior Winter League in Barnstaple.

Jets have had a great winter, to date they are currently unbeaten in Division Four and are aiming to take the title undefeated.

Satellites in Division Three have put a nice string of results together more recently, following a slow start to the season. A most recent 46-20 victory over Holiday Cottages leaves Satellites pushing hard for a top-third position.

First team Bude Stars are having a superb run with both attacking and defensive formations really starting to gel.

An excellent 58-41 victory over third-placed Carol-Anne Trolls sees Bude working hard to achieve their best-ever finish in Division One.

• The club, in it’s Thursday training sessions at ‘The Dome’, also caters for the more social/recreational player with it’s ‘Back to Netball’ group. New players are always welcome at any level and more information can be obtained on 01288 350199.