More than 1,000 primary school students will bring the Sunshine Coast Netball Association’s Maroochydore courts to life this Friday, as they battle it out for one of three trophies at the annual Unitywater Lightning Cup.
The event, hosted by Sunshine Coast Lightning and Unitywater at the Maroochydore Multi-Sports Complex, will see 112 teams from primary schools across Moreton Bay, the Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Gympie participate in the full-day tournament.
Sunshine Coast Lightning player Liz Watson said she and her teammates were looking forward to getting involved on the day.
“It’s always great to see so much enthusiasm and participation each year, and fantastic to see it continue to grow as well – good luck to all the teams!” Ms Watson said.
“We’ll be running inclusive multiclass clinics again this year for individuals with diverse abilities – for me, this is one of the highlights. Netball is a sport for everyone to enjoy and it’s great to find opportunities like this where everyone can get involved.”
Unitywater CEO, Anna Jackson, said the utility partnered with Sunshine Coast Lightning to encourage students and the broader community to stop buying single-use plastic bottles and fill up their reusable water bottle instead.
“It’s easy to fill up and show up, just like the amazing Lightning players, by refilling your reusable water bottle to stay healthy and hydrated,” Ms Jackson said.
“The Australian Government’s National Plastics Plan indicates more than 80% of plastics end up in landfill or the environment, and single-use plastics contribute to about one third of our annual plastic consumption.
“In the last 18 months, Unitywater’s Drink Tap van has supplied the equivalent of more than 90,000 single-use water bottles of water at events across our service region, and we’re pleased to be at the Unitywater Lightning Cup to keep the students and staff hydrated all day.”
The event is in its fourth year, with participation doubling since its inception, offering year five and six students from schools in the region a chance to register a team to play competitive netball to win a trophy in three divisions: Championship (Lightning Cup), Boys (Thunder Cup) and Development (Bolt Cup).
It also features local food trucks, games, a silent disco, multiclass clinics and Unitywater’s Drink Tap van to keep attendees hydrated.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to offer participating students a fun day to celebrate sport and the active lifestyle we have in our region as well,” Ms Jackson said.
Winning schools
2022
- Championship: St Andrew’s Anglican College
- Boys: St Michael’s College
- Development: St Andrew’s Anglican College
2023
- Championship: Siena Catholic Primary School
- Boys: St Andrew’s Anglican College
- Development: Buddina State School
2024
- Championship: St Andrew’s Anglican College
- Boys: Mountain Creek State Primary School
- Development: Good Samaritan Catholic College
2025
- Championship: Good Samaritan Catholic College
- Boys: Sunshine Coast Grammar School
- Development: St Andrew’s Anglican College
2026
- Championship: Peregian Springs State School
- Boys: St Thomas More Primary School (Sunshine Beach)
- Development: Stella Maris School
ENDS
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