I READ the Evening Press TKO column 'British sports facing an identity crisis' a few weeks ago and agree with every word that was written.

Joseph Rowntree School have a talented group of netball players and an equally talented and dedicated coach.

To be the only school in the country to have all three teams qualify for the National Schools Finals is a massive achievement and one we should be proud of. As a city we should be encouraging and supporting these teams as they represent the positive side of young people in York.

Instead, being at the top has created a major headache for these girls who have been left desperately trying to raise the £3,000 needed to compete in London themselves.

I would have thought that £3,000 of City of York Council's money would have been better invested in these 'stars' of the future than unnecessarily spent on painting yellow lines on a road in Poppleton, only to remove them less than 48 hours later. Where's the civic pride in that?

The bad weather and snow may have postponed the tournament until May 15 but it has bought these girls some extra fundraising time. Unless, of course, the council reassesses its priorities and realises the importance of encouraging the talent of the future.

Elaine Roberts,

Springwood,

Haxby,

York.

Updated: 11:03 Saturday, April 16, 2005