Netball Australia and its Member Organisations made the difficult decision due to the ongoing uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, with the health and safety of the event’s participants, staff and officials the priority.
The Marie Little Shield is an annual event for netballers with an intellectual disability to represent their state in a national competition.
The event was last held in Brisbane in 2019 and cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event was scheduled to be held at Netball Central, Sydney Olympic Park from Monday 27 – Tuesday 28 September 2021 and hosted by Netball NSW.
Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan said the organisation was committed to holding the event in NSW in October 2022.
The Marie Little Shield (MLS) is a netball competition for women with an intellectual disability, giving these athletes the chance to represent their state at a national level.
It was introduced back in 2013, and has become a highlight of the annual Australia Post One Netball calendar.
The MLS was named after Marie Little (OAM), a netballer who dedicated her life to those with an intellectual disability. It’s one of several diversity and inclusions programs we run. The message is that anyone, regardless of background or ability, is welcome in netball.
2019 Marie Little Shield tournament results here.