Casuarina Cougars embracing change ahead of new season
They may only be in their second year as a club, but the Casuarina Cougars have high hopes for the season ahead.
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From being named the NT’s biggest club in their inaugural season to cutting teams in an effort to reduce numbers, the Casuarina Cougars Netball Club are primed and ready for a bumper 2024.
Straddling both the Darwin and Palmerston netball competitions, the fledgling club has put a heavy focus on recording another positive season.
“We had two teams make finals last season and we’re hoping for that number to grow this year,” club president Ruth Kirk said.
“We didn’t expect a whole lot in terms of success last year, but this season we want to be a competitive as we can be.”
One of the five clubs with a team in the DNA Premier League, Kirk said that her Cougars were building off of last season, but had encountered a fair bit of change in the off season.
“We are a very ADF heavy club,” she said.
“So that means that a lot of our prem girls are no longer in Darwin, so we have roughly half the squad a new players this year.
“At the moment we haven’t selected our prem or our reserve side so there’s a squad of 22 players that have all been training together in the off season.
“We also have a number of former Nightcliff prem players who’ve jumped ship as the Tigers aren’t putting in a prem side this year.
“So they’ve come to us for an opportunity to continue playing at the top level.”
Not only have the Cougars experienced a big shift in personnel, they’ve also got a new full-time head coach.
“We’re very excited to have a Kat Peni as our new coach for the season ahead,” Kirk said.
“She is an intermediate level coach with a lot of experience and is working towards a higher level.
“Peni won’t be a player-coach, which is great as she’ll be focusing solely on the squad, fitness, coaching and making sure the girls are ready come game day.”
* Premier League - Round 1 (Thursday, 14 March):
- Casuarina Cougars vs. BYE
- Pints vs. NNT Development (Indoor 1, 6pm)
- Tracy Village Falcons vs. Waratahs (Indoor 2, 6pm)
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