My view with junior girls generally and nearly always take more pride in serving. Last year I thought in Melbourne, that serving seemed to be an inconvenience and only delayed the boys view of the game. BUT girls serve much harder than boys generally do not have the strength to set the flat hard serves. The girls are are entitled to try but my view is that the ball generally dissappears over position 6 into row 32 of the grand stand.

Whilst at junior level the girls serve harder than the boys, the boys receive free balls much better than the girls because they DO use their fingers more. Given the oft lack of pace on a free ball the girls can finger pass but they often choose not to. This is dissappointing because if they are in the front row (and often are) then they, by moving backwards take them selves out of a quick hitting role.

The boys just clearly have bigger and stronger hands.

A NSW coach once told me that if you get the best setter in Open Honor Girls in schools cup and then go to Division 3 and find the 4th team and look at their male setter, then they will be around the same standard. This close to being true but when you look at the tactital setters like Raelee Vick, Victoria and Fleur Holmes Shelie Bonython, Mandy Carr, Anna Maycock South Australia has been well served by their female setters.

It is my view at the moment that Victoria is clearly in front of SA and the rest of the states with their development of setters and that this development has taken a well defined and logical path. Their excellent academy structure helps here. At Heathfield we are fighting back in this regard.

Eldo

I am sure I have never sent a kid home early from Under 16 trials. It is written into the rules that every kid is permitted to attend all the trials during a weekend. This rule is to ensure country kids get their money’s worth from a trial. We can cut if a trial goes over into a second weekend but I cannot ever doing that. I certainly agree with this rule. I have also had a couple of kids serving underarm in a State team although, that was some years ago. Actually I hate State trials and telling kids they did not make it. I spent hours last week talking to Heathfield kids (boys and girls) who missed out. I hope they get a go in a 2nd 17 team as they have somethiong to offer.
Eldo