WHAT a year it has been for the two Cardiff Law Netball squads after both law teams secured their places in the premiership division of the IMG league and Law A finished as winners of both the league and the IMG cup.
After the graduation of several key players last summer, the squads were faced with the challenge of finding new players and forming new teams that would be able to pose a genuine threat to the competition and to follow on from the success of previous years. Following the successful recruitment of new players and some solid training sessions throughout the autumn term, both Law A and Law B were able to qualify for the premiership division of the league, where they would face strong opposition from teams such as Cardiff A and Economics A. Law A sailed through the league undefeated, finishing with a goal difference of 98, 88 more than the team in second place. Law B, being the only ‘B’ team in the premiership, finished a respectable fifth, demonstrating that they certainly deserved their place in this group.
After a fantastic set of results throughout the duration of the league, the squad were eager to repeat their success in the Cardiff IMG Cup. Both teams reached the semi-finals, only to find themselves pitted against one another; Law A beating Law B 19-1, enabling them to go through to the final and face some strong opposition in the form of the Cardiff A team. However, after a well-fought match Law A, with much delight, came out on top as winners of both the IMG league and the cup tournament.
Off court, the squad has had some fantastic socials, dressing up as circus acts and ringleaders to initiate their new players, enjoying a spot of pub golf, donning their sailors and pirates outfits with the CARBS football lads and coming out in force to support their university in Varsity. The girls were also lucky enough to take part in the annual Burges Salmon cup, hosted this year by Cardiff University itself in which the squad, together with the law football team, regained their title, beating teams from Bristol, Exeter and Warwick.
It is fair to say that this has been the most successful year so far for Cardiff Law Netball. With the ups and downs that IMG has faced, the squad’s success is the perfect example that the need to continue to accept IMG as a fundamental aspect of Cardiff’s athletic union is still very much alive. It has given the players the opportunity to improve their skills on court and to form strong friendships off court. Let’s hope that the success of the tournament can be maintained and that the future of IMG can remain certain.
