AN Eltham schoolgirl is one of the star players from a netball team that have won their way into a new nationwide league next season.

Zoe Floate, who attends Crown Woods School, is part of the Telestars Netball Club under 19 squad which finished fourth in the National Youth & Junior Championships, and will now be part of the new National Under-19 League.

Telstars were one of the top 20 clubs in England taking part in the youth and junior championships over two days at Brean Sands, in Somerset, and it was a tremendous achievement to finish fourth against such top-class opposition.

Zoes father Mike, who is a teacher at Crown Woods, said: The girls started off by playing nine qualifying games. They were seven minutes each-way and we only lost one of them.

The top four from the two groups then played a series of knockout matches. The Telstars beat Clifton-ettes 10-8 in the quarter finals, but were beaten 12-10 after extra-time in the semi-finals by New Cambell.

We lost the third place play-off to Oldham, but our fourth position was still good enough to get us an invite into the new league. We are not sure of the exact format yet, but it will involve quite a lot of travelling, Mr Floate added.

All the clubs who played in the championships qualified through regional tournaments, which were held in October.

In the South-East region Telstars came fourth in their qualification group, they raised their game to beat Leyton Netball Club, who had finished fourth in last seasons Nationals.

The Essex club never stood a chance as Telstars raced into a 5-0 lead, with an impressive display of attacking netball. Leyton did rally, but Telstars held on to win 12-10, and they were the only qualifiers to win by more than a single goal.

Apart from Leyton, there were other top clubs in the south-east that failed to qualify. These included the other two entrants from Kent, the Comets and Kent County Netball Club, whose first team is ranked second in England.

Telstars were formed five years ago in Dartford by coaches Anita Hollman and Nickie Treadwell, who had previously coached the Dartford Satellite team.

Dartford has a special affinity with netball it is where the game first originated in England about a 100 years ago.

Mr Floate added: Our first team have been promoted every year they have been playing in the North West Kent League, and the under-19 squad includes three current Kent County squad players and five others who have previously represented the county. There is also a good chance that some of the squad will be selected to take part in the England training programme. And the others are challenging for places, especially after we beat the Kent squad in four friendly games.

The 14-strong squad comprises, Jodie Holland and Sarah Gummer, both from Bexley, Natalie Randall and Helen Barnard, who come from Dartford, Kate Burgess and Nicola Smalldridge from Bromley, Grave-sends Jenny Tutt, plus Zoe Floate, Stephanie Woodhouse, Laura Pettet, Rebecca Thomson, Grace Clements and Charlie Bergin, all of whom come from Sevenoaks, as well as Cali Bushell from Medway.

If you want to find out more about the Telstars Netball Club, then call Mick Floate on 01322 668275 or visit the clubs website at:

www.mikefloate.clara.co.uk/telstarsnetball.htm

December">http://

www.mikefloate.clara.co.uk/telstarsnetball.htm

December 27, 2000 11:18: