Surf’s up for Maccabiah netballers
 
AJN STAFF
WITH a background in football and a passion for surfing, Michael Ritterman brings a different perspective to his position as section manager of the Australian netball team for next month’s 18th Maccabiah in Israel.
Ritterman recently hosted the team at his holiday home on Philip Island for three days, where they went through intensive training, including a surf down at the beach.¬†”The surfing experience was part of a plan to get them out of their comfort zone,” said Ritterman, himself a keen surfer.
Ritterman was a star AJAX footballer and will be joined on the sidelines in Israel by another with a surname synonymous to the oval-ball code, Adam Zemski, whose father Michael played for Hawthorn and later in an AJAX premiership side.
Adam Zemski also has fine netball credentials, having recently won a national title playing men’s netball.¬†Ritterman cannot praise his players -— who will be defending champions in Israel -— enough.¬†”Under the watchful eye of coach Irene Wright, there’s every chance they will bring home gold again, although I tell them the journey along the way is of paramount importance.”¬†The netballers are currently training and playing at least two nights a week. The bulk of the team is Melbourne-based, with one player joining them from Perth and another from Sydney. ¬†According to Ritterman, the Maccabiah is currently their life.¬†As well as a tight training schedule, the girls have organised six fundraising events, including a car wash, a nightclub event and a chocolate drive.¬†The girls will soon head to Israel to play the game they love … and they may even find time for a gentle surf.
comments