Plenty of credit for Chevrons
Chevrons, who are the top netball side in Yorkshire, had done brilliantly to qualify for the three-team showdown but left with the bronze medal after losing both games.
After losing their opening game in the last quarter against Gloucester-based side Hucclecote 31-19 they were then given what Brettell described as a "netball lesson" from the overall winners Oldham in a crushing 55-14 defeat.
And while Hull's coach is keen to big up the achievements of her young squad, she was left with a bitter taste from the finals day at Loughborough University.
Brettell told HotShots: "Our girls felt like the poor relations at the event.
"The other teams turned up in a team bus, with matching tracksuits and they had full-time physios, where as we had none of that and all came in separate cars and turned up at different times.
"The girls had this feeling like they did not deserve to be there and it was really hard to boost their confidence because both of the other teams were so professional.
"They felt very intimidated and it was the same two years ago when our under-16s made the national finals and we took bronze then with Oldham winning, on that occasion they had brought champagne glasses with them they were that confident.
"All of our girls have had to fund themselves through this whole process and we have had seven or eight games and had to travel all over the country, in the end I brought them all some tee-shirts to wear on the day but other teams had loads of sponsorship.
"Their heads were down going into the last game and in the end it was the worst they have played in this entire competition and I'm sure the opposition must have thought how did they get here."
At the qualifying event, Chevrons had been in a group with Grangetown and Futurepoint and all three teams finished on six points after securing one win and one loss each.
In the end the outcome, and the team moving onto the next stage, was determined by goal average and Hull, came out just on top with an average of 1.13.
Brettell admits her team have played some amazing netball throughout the season and can learn a lot from the competition.
She added: "It was a fantastic achievement for our girls to reach the finals. We have a much smaller catchment area in Hull to pick from and these girls went and represented the city and Yorkshire well against some very professional clubs.
"Our girls have the ability but it just did not come out on court. I'm sure if they had felt a little more professional like the other teams they would have done better, but there is not a lot of money for netball in our area.
"In the end all these things put a dampner on it all which is a shame as the girls deserve a lot of credit.
"Georgie Thompson in defence was absolutely outstanding and she was the best player of the tournament outright for me, while Lucy Richardson also had an amazing day in more of an attacking role.
"Half of this team have another year and six players will go onto next year and so they will have learnt a lot from this experience and hopefully we can some back next year stronger.
"They've all played some amazing netball this year and a lot of them have been rewarded with places in the regional and county academies, while four of this team will have trials for the Leeds Met under-19s Super League side in September."
Chevrons squad: Louise Chester, Melissa Holmes, Georgie Thompson, Emily Bloom, Hannah Wilkinson, Rebecca Houfe, Jessica Miller, Elley McGlynn, Lucy Richardson, Alexandra Holland, Sophie Duncan, Elizabeth Plummer
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