DEFENDING champions Vaz will face Mavisville as the 2012 Prep School Netball League gets underway today with 10 matches, beginning at 1:45 pm at several school venues.

Twenty-two prep schools are participating in this season’s netball league, which is divided into four zones with the winners and runners-up advancing to the semi-final round to be played in two groups.

The Vaz and Mavisville encounter is scheduled to start at 3:15 pm at Mavisville school court.

Matches scheduled in Zone One are: St Catherine vs St Andrew at 1:45 pm at St Catherine; Our Lady of the Angels vs Holy Childhood at 2:30 pm at Holy Childhood.

Zone Two — Sacred Heart Academy vs Richmond Park at 1:45 pm at Holy Childhood; Quest vs Alvernia at 1:45 pm at Wolmer’s; St Jago vs Portmore Missionary at 2:30 pm at St Catherine.

Zone Three — Excel vs Ardenne at 1:45 pm; Trafalgar vs Lannaman’s at 2:30 pm at Dunrobin School. Bright Beginning’s will not be playing their first game today.

Zone Four — King’s Gate vs Emmanuel Christian at 1:45 pm at Emmanuel school; Wolmer’s vs St Theresa at 2:30 pm at Wolmer’s. Hydel will be out of action and is placed in Zone Four.

Meanwhile, the Prep Schools League had their launch, uniform parade and rally at the Leila Robinson Courts last Tuesday with former manytime league champions Quest beating St Theresa 3-2 in a close Open Rally final.

Our Lady of the Angels finished in third place with a 4-3 win over Emmanuel Christian.

Jamaica Netball Association (JNA) President Marva Bernard brought greetings at the launch and told the players that they are the future for Jamaica and this is where it all starts from the prep schools.

She said netball is played all over the island and Kingston is not Jamaica as netball players from any part of the island can make the Jamaican teams.

“I wish you all the best during your competition and you must be disciplined during the matches, listen to the umpires and abide by their decisions, and the umpires must officiate the game fairly,” Bernard said.

She also thanked the number of sponsors who came on board to support this season’s Prep Schools Netball League.

The sponsors are Nissan (Fidelity Motors Limited), WISYNCO Limited, Tastee Limited, CARI-MED (Ensure and Pedisure), Laribo Marketing and Consultant Limited, and Reggae Jammin.