The Bermuda Netball Association will be hosting the Senior League Merle Parfitt Hustle Tournament, starting today at Bernard Park.

The tournament, which starts at 5pm, will consist of six teams, Lindos Tigers, North Village Lady Rams, Storm Lightning, Phoenix Heat, Storm Thunder and Robin Hood, who will battle it out in a double elimination format.

The tournament is named after Merle Parfitt, known to most in the netball community as “Aunt Merle”, who was a player, coach and mentor to many.

“She played centre and is well known for her determination, aggressiveness, safe hands, defensive and attacking moves but above all, her skill of out hustling any opponent that came her way,” said Kimale Evans, the president of the Bermuda Netball Association.

“A loose ball was Merle’s ball as she utilised her speed and agility to expose her adversary’s weaknesses.”

As well as her playing days on court, Parfitt has also taught the art of netball to a large number of new players over the past 30 years.

She continues to give back to the sport of netball, by hosting free netball introductory sessions throughout the island and was the first Bermudian Netball Ambassador to travel to Africa with the ACE It Foundation to teach the people of Africa the sport of netball.

The Senior League Tournament will be followed by the Junior Double Elimination Tournament also taking place at Bernard Park on Saturday, January 5, between 1pm-5pm.