Life Members L-R: Janine Determes, Beryl Determes, Glenys Steel 

Brief history of the Narrikup Netball Club

The Narrikup Netball Club is the oldest club competing in the Albany Netball Association. The club was founded in 1971 in the small town of Narrikup, located between Mt Barker and Albany. At that time Narrikup consisted of five houses, a general store, the local hall, two run down tennis courts and an oval.

Beryl Determes and Glenys Steel, both Narrikup residents with netball backgrounds, decided to form a netball team for their daughters to play in, along with a senior team of local residents. The black and red club colours were chosen to match the Mt Barker school colours, where the local children attended. The teams played in Albany on the old courts which were located on the corner of North Road and Lockyer Avenue.

The Club was involved in the formation of the Narrikup Combined Sports Group in 1972, in conjunction with the local tennis and cricket clubs. The players trained on the courts at Narrikup, located next to the oval, which were initially in very poor condition. With the help of willing parents, the weeds were cleared, netball poles made, and eventually money was raised through local dances to install lights. A small unused club house languishing in the Porongurup’s was spotted by Maurice Determes, and was eventually purchased, moved to the oval and fitted with a kitchen. The club house is still in use during the cricket season. The Club remained involved with the Narrikup Combined Sports Groups until 2008, when the Club became incorporated in their own right.

The club had as many as six teams based in Narrikup, with senior teams known as Devils, Demons and Demoniacs, while the younger teams were Swans, Cobs, Cygnets and Angels. The logo of the club was designed by one of the club’s early players, Mandy Montgomery, and represents these team names.

In 1999 the club partnered with Flinders Park Primary School to help grow the club and ensure its future. Since this time, the Club has had as many as 19 teams playing in the Albany Netball Association, and has experienced plenty of success both at a team level, and with many of our players achieving success representing Albany and the region. While the club no longer has a physical association with Narrikup, the Club retains strong links with Narrikup through our committee and life members. The name of our Club will always remind us of our humble beginnings!