Essex Open netball Club held their annual awards evening on Friday 11th September. Awards were presented in a variety of categories from Development Squad to the Seniors. We also celebrated all the titles won by our respective sides at junior and senior level. It was also a chance to acknowledge our award as ENG Club of the Year. well done to all players, parents, coaches and committee members and everyone who helped organise the evening.
2025/26 SCI Butlin’s Championships
Essex Open U12 Maroon and Blue Squads headed off to sunny Bognor Regis for a weekend of team bonding and on court action.
Arriving on Friday evening with excitement, exhausted bodies and anticipation of what the weekend will bring. We ate a late dinner and headed off to our rooms to begin the much needed team connection and getting to know each other better.
Bright and early as we rose on Saturday morning, kitted, excited and focused with our mission clear in mind. Both teams started strong, winning back to back games and ultimately finishing top four in the table; Maroons undefeated placing 1st and Blues placing 4th and both entered into the Cup competition on the Sunday.
The competition on Sunday was well fought. All teams had stepped up a gear with hotly contested matches. The blues fought hard and remained competitive in all matches having never competed to this standard before, they stayed within reach of all matches, however, given injuries sustained, we were unable to secure the top two finish.
Relying on the Maroons to bring the trophy back to East London, they played well and dominated all teams remaining undefeated across the competition, beating local club Chichester NC 14-6 in the finals and aptly cheered on by the Blues and other teams watching the finals.
The weather was kind to us and helped make the Essex Open tournament a great success. The age group winners were as follows
Age group Winners Runners Up
U10 Turnford A Fusion
U11 Sutton Town Turnford
U12 Wodson Park Navy Sutton Town
U13 Essex Open Maroon AP Saints
U14 Turnford Essex Open Maroons
U15 Sutton Town AP Saints
Well done to all concerned.
Essex Open Netball Club’s Under-14 Maroons were crowned ENG Under-14 Cup Eastern Heat Champions at the Essex Sports Arena on 30 May, securing their place at the National Finals in Walsall on 14 June. The Maroons began the day with a hard-fought 4-4 draw against Brookshaw Stuart Netball Club in a match that lacked their usual fluency. However, they quickly found their rhythm and went on to dominate the remainder of the group stage, winning all of their remaining matches to finish top of the group and book a semi-final place.
In the semi-final, Essex Open faced Barr Beacon Netball Club and, despite not being at their flowing best, produced a disciplined performance to progress comfortably to the final. There they met Shan, a side they had already defeated earlier in the day, and delivered one of their strongest displays of the tournament. Controlling the game from start to finish, the Maroons secured a convincing 9-2 victory to claim the gold medals and the Eastern Heat title. The success was a reward for the squad’s consistency, determination, and ability to raise their performance levels as the competition progressed.
Saturday 30 May – Essex Sports Arena, Colchester
The Essex Open U11 Maroons delivered an outstanding performance at the ENG U11 Eastern Heat, finishing in an impressive third place and securing their place at the National Finals in Walsall.
Drawn in a challenging group alongside Turnford, Fusion and Suffolk Rockets, Essex Open began the day in confident fashion with a comfortable victory over Suffolk Rockets. The team displayed excellent movement, discipline and teamwork to get their campaign off to the perfect start.
Their second match saw them face a strong Turnford side. Despite a determined performance and competing well throughout, Essex Open were unable to prevent defeat. Nevertheless, the girls produced a highly respectable display against one of the tournament favourites and left the court with their heads held high.
Knowing that second place in the group was likely to be decided in their third match, Essex Open rose to the occasion against Fusion. Producing one of their most complete performances of the day, they dominated from start to finish, combining a relentless defence with clinical finishing to secure a convincing 6-0 victory.
The final group fixture determined the seeding positions for the knockout stages and once again Essex Open met Fusion. The opposition provided a much sterner challenge on this occasion, but Essex Open maintained their composure and quality to record another victory.
Those results saw Essex Open finish second in their group behind Turnford, earning a quarter-final clash against established ENG side Hartford Hornets.
The Maroons produced a superb quarter-final display, controlling the match from the opening whistle. Their defensive unit restricted Hartford Hornets to just a single goal, while the attacking players converted their chances efficiently to claim a dominant 8-1 victory and book a place in the semi-finals.
Awaiting them in the last four was another strong ENG League side, Shan. The match began tightly, with Shan taking an early lead. While Essex Open reshuffled their starting seven in search of greater rhythm, Shan capitalised and opened up a four-goal advantage. To their credit, the Maroons responded brilliantly and began to build momentum, mounting a spirited comeback. Unfortunately, the deficit proved too much to overcome and Essex Open were edged out 5-2.
The disappointment of the semi-final defeat was quickly put aside as Essex Open regrouped for the third-place play-off. Facing Fusion for the third time during the tournament, the Maroons once again demonstrated their superiority, controlling proceedings throughout and securing a comfortable victory to claim the bronze medal position.
Finishing third in the Eastern Heat represents an excellent achievement for this talented squad and confirms their qualification for the ENG U11 National Finals in Walsall on 13 June.
The players, coaches and supporters can be immensely proud of the performances shown throughout the day. With confidence growing and momentum building, Essex Open now look forward to testing themselves against the very best teams in the country as they aim to establish themselves on the national stage and return home with a medal from the National Finals.
Q1: The Blues got off to a slow start with Woodford scoring the first goal. Some loose passes enabled Woodford to score a second in quick succession. Essex composed themselves and scored one back. Through some quick passing and getting the ball into the shooters Essex ended the quarter on top. 4-2.
Q2: In the second quarter the teams moved the ball well up and down and court but goals were limited. Essex took two good chances and Woodford pulled one back to end 6-3.
Q3: The temperature warmed up and so did the Blues in this quarter. Good communications, great movement and quick thinking fed the ball into the shooters who took their chances and scored 6 goals. The blues defence was strong and limited Woodford to a single goal. 12-4.
Q4: The Blues really found their rhythm and controlled the final quarter. They found space and passed opening up the court and dominating possession. The shooters got in good positions and added 5 more goals. The defence remained strong and prevented Woodford from
scoring again.
A great way to end the league season. Blues win 17-4.
OPOM: Annabel
CPOM: Annabel and Ivy
Q1: Essex open blues started the match strong with three quick goals. They dominated in all areas of the court with quick accurate passes and were accurate with their shooting ending the first quarter 9-0 up.
Q2: Q2 was much tighter with Woodford Warriors making tighter and managing to intercept in the middle of the court managing to pull a goal back. The Blues stuck in their and worked hard to score two goals bringing the score to 11-1.
Q3: The blues moved the ball quickly and scored two quick goals. Some good communication, finding space and high passes helped the Blues move the ball quickly and score two quick goals. Woodford warriors pulled one back but the Blues were strong and ended the quarter 16-2 up due some great shots from distance in the D.
Q4: In the final quarter the Blues didnt let up and were soon 21-2 up. They maintained their energy and passed the ball well up and down the court. Woodford Warriors battled to the end scoring 2 goals with the game ending 22-4.
Final Score: Essex Open Blues 14 – 15 Essex Wanderers Ruby
Result: Win for Essex Wanderers Ruby
A Thrilling Display of Skill and Sportsmanship
The Essex Open U11 Blues faced off against Essex Wanderers Ruby today in a match that was a great spectacle in U11 netball. From the opening whistle to the final whistle , there was never more than a goal or two in it, keeping every spectator on the edge of their seat.
Handling the Pressure
The most impressive aspect of the match was how the Blues handled the intense pressure from the Wanderers. Despite the high-stakes nature of the game and the speed of the opposition, the Essex Open players remained remarkably level-headed. They didn’t let the tight scoreline rattle them, showing maturity and focus throughout all four quarters.
Teamwork and Transition
The Blues’ passing was a major highlight today. The team displayed fantastic vision and teamwork to transition the ball through the court. By finding space and supporting one another with clinical passing, they were able to work the ball effectively into the circle to keep the goals flowing. It was a true team effort, with every player contributing to the fluid movement of the ball.
Looking Back
While the final score fell 15-14 in favor of Essex Wanderers Ruby, the Essex Open Blues can hold their heads high. Beyond the technical skills on display, the girls showed exceptional sportsmanship and stayed positive under pressure. Both teams delivered a performance to be proud of, showcasing the very best of junior netball.
OPOM Rose
CPOM Anika
Credit: Gina
Essex Open Senior XI concluded their season with a narrow and disappointing 58–57 defeat away at the Downs in a rearranged fixture, following an earlier postponement. The result was particularly frustrating, as Essex trailed for only the final 10 seconds of the match.
Despite the loss, the outcome had no impact on the final standings, with Essex having already secured the Division 2 title several weeks earlier.
It has been an outstanding season overall for the Essex Open Senior Team. From 28 matches played, they recorded an impressive 26 victories. Their success also includes promotion to Regional League 1 and retaining the Essex Met League Division 1 title for a second consecutive year.
In the Met League campaign, Essex were dominant throughout, winning all 14 matches, scoring 897 goals, and conceding just 477.
Congratulations to everyone involved on a highly successful season.
Essex Open U11 Blues v Manor Met White.
The Blues achieved a good win against Manor Met White. It was competitive, high energy and an opportunity for newer players to integrate into the time.
Q1 – The match started fast with Manor Met White scoring first. This switched the girls into gear and they quickly got the ball to the shooters to level the score. They dominated the centre of the court with high passes and scored a number of goals in quick successions before Manor Met got one back to end the quarter 5-2 up.
Q2 – The second quarter was end to end with quick passing, good intercepting, but good defending at both ends prevented goals. We got a breakthrough and took the chance to make it 6-2. More good movement through the court but a few wayward passes limited the scoring. Both teams managed a goal a piece near the end of the quarter ending 7-3.
Q3 – Essex Open Blues controlled the third quarter with good possession and movement scoring 3 quick goals. There were some good battles all across court. Our defence limited the opportunities for Manor Met White who managed 1 goal to end the quarter 10-4.
Q4 – Lots of movement in the final quarter with the ball going up and down the court and goals being scored at both ends. Some great shooting from distance and right under the post meant the Blues maintained their lead and finished the match 15-9.
OPOM: Rose
CPOM: Eden
Credit Jodi Blackham
