There was a real buzz at Bernard Park on Saturday as the netball community gathered in numbers for the launch of the 2026-27 Winter League.

Most of the teams across the various divisions were out in full force for a fun-filled day, with players tackling a cross country run, shooting competition and lively exhibition matches to gear up for the official season opener next Saturday.

Apryl Jackson, a member of the Netball Bermuda council, stated that the day was all about giving players a chance to put their talents on display.

“The launch was about showcasing the skills that our netballers have developed and are continuing to develop through their journey in the community,” Jackson told The Royal Gazette.

“We have a wide variety of teams, where some community clubs have more than one team in the divisions.

“We have Dandy Stars, North Village, Phoenix and Storm with two teams each, Atlantic Aces, Devonshire Colts Diamonds, Bailey’s Bay Cricket Club, who could not be with us for this occasion.”

On the activities, Jackson emphasised that they were designed to help players develop the agility needed in matches.

“Our first event was a simple one,” she said.

“It was supposed to be a cross country, but we decided to do a quick sprint, which is on the outskirts of the softball diamond and inside on the softball diamond.

“The second activity was a shooting competition, where we got to showcase some of our best shooters across all divisions. We had winners from different teams, Village, Storm, Phoenix and Atlantic Aces.

“Our third activity was the time circuit, where we actually worked on the fine motor skills of our players, which was quick feet, agility, moving, changing direction quickly, accuracy, which was in shooting, jump rope, which is again quick feet and coordination.

“These skills will be exhibited throughout our netball games and help to strengthen our players.

“Our last activity of the day was the exhibition games. This style was a who’s who, mixed team, all-star style, instead of having team club against club, because we try to instil in our youngsters and our athletes that netball is not just about the club that you play for, but also about netball as a whole.

“So them playing with people from different teams strengthens their communication, collaboration and appreciation for others all across the netball community.

“Thank you very much to everybody that came out, especially to the athletes, their parents and council members for coming out on this beautiful day.

“The weather held up exactly how we wanted. Everyone had a great day, fun time, the vibes were amazing. It was a great event to kick off our winter league for the 2026-27 season.”

Veteran player Danielle Raynor enjoyed the shooting competition, where she was the winner in her division. The seasoned star is gearing up for a full season of winter action having not played much since the 2023-24 season due to a troublesome knee.

“It felt good being with my fellow team-mates and our Phoenix junior players,” the goal shooter said.

“I love shooting — even the pressure that comes with it. The scores were tight at the top, so the competition was good.

“But, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the long-distance races. Running is always so exciting and our club took home the most points in that event, so cheering everyone on was a highlight for me.

“My knee is doing much better. I played summer league earlier this year, rejoined training with the national squad programme after two winter seasons out and stepped right back into Phoenix preseason when that started.”

Having watched her team play second fiddle to the defunct Lindo’s Tigers for two straight seasons, Raynor is determined to restore lost glory.

Regarding Phoenix Heat she said: “I’m really excited for this season.

“A few of my retired team-mates realised how much they missed the game and decided to make a comeback, so having the core nucleus of our team back together — alongside a few new heavy hitters who recently joined us — is huge.

“Our team is building and our main goal this season is bringing home the league title.

“Registering to play this season was a no-brainer for me. Over the past few seasons, my focus has been on doing what I can to mentor our younger senior players and bridging the gap by helping them build confidence and get crucial experience on court.

“I love watching them step up, especially in the circle, and I always look forward to competing right alongside them.”

Sports minister Owen Darrell lauded the netball fraternity for its exemplary organisation and preparedness ahead of a fresh season.

“Congratulations to the executive of Bermuda for getting yourselves ready and prepared for another netball season,” he said.

“Well done to all participants for showing up to participate in another netball season. I also want to say thank you to all of the coaches, supporters, parents and anyone else that has anything to do with the season that you are about to embark on and any other competitions that you are getting ready for.

“As the minister responsible for sport and this facility, I thank you for inviting me. I also appreciate those invites to the all-star matches.”