The tournament featured the best 6 countries in the world playing the ‘FastNet’ format, 7 aside but with the Powerplay, alternative centres and a version of the ‘shoot from outside the circle’ rule that we see in the Fast5s format of today. It’s also featured the then up & coming’ players Caitlyn Bassett, Ash Brazil & Jo Harten - my fast developing ‘neek-ness’ going into overdrive!
The pyrotechnics, music and the outstanding skills of Malawian netball legend Mary Waya really captured the imagination. Liverpool, as we know, can really put on a show and the excitement of our students really got under my skin! 😉
Fast forward 7 years and I was invited to the first Matchroom Fast5s event held at the O2 in London. I was excited to be taking a group of netball volunteers who really deserved a treat and we had a great day out (despite some pretty horrendous pregnancy sickness when no one knew I was pregnant lol!).
Shamefully, it only occurred to me later that I actually had the best day because of the people I was with rather than the actual event!
In reality the 02 was barely a third full, the action just not quite at full pelt and with rules not always being understood fully, from memory, some teams didn’t even play their Powerplay. Still, we got the tickets for free (rent a crowd anyone!?!) and as I say we did have a great girls day out!
Since then and with England Netball’s support NETS has grown in popularity and in stature. It’s not a format I have seen ‘live’ as venues are somewhat of a problem it seems, but the various mixed, 7 aside and 6 aside formats are heavily spoken about on netball podcasts and the recent ‘World Cup’ in South Africa was live streamed. It’s a format that’s popular in the Southern Hemisphere and I predict will continue to grow in popularity here, especially if EN continue and up their support and more venues are secured.
Red Bull Switch Up is also a format I have yet to see ‘live’. With such a big global company behind it the future looks bright. This year’s event take place in Manchester later this month. The Commercial input somewhat concerns me (see previous blog: The corporate stain on the netball community!) but you can’t deny that another form of our great game can only take it to different audiences and different platforms - which can be no bad thing for the wider netball ‘brand’.
Such was my Fast5s experience in 2017 and with a new born baby to care for, I decided not to go the 2018 Fast5s - wasn’t offered free tickets either 😉
I did watch on Sky Plus though and the change of venue to the Copperbox ( a terrific venue for netball despite my strong reservations about the lack of healthy food they serve!) a better understanding of the rules and the AWESOME appearance of Sharni Leyton in a Roses dress (except
it wasn’t really was it!?!) whetted my appetite for more!
I found myself at the 2019 Fast5s event last month with family and friends as part of my birthday celebrations! I made sure we had full bellies before entering (same old hot dogs, chips and candy floss at the Copperbox was noted!) and we had a cracking afternoon!
Unfortunately Sharni Layton wasn’t appearing and you weren’t really going to top her to be honest! Goal machines Jo Harten and Rachel Dunn provided some breathtaking entertainment though and it was no surprise they ended up in the final with their respective teams Loughborough Lightning and Wasps.
For me the ‘broken post’ provided the best entertainment - always have a spare one if you can!
But, seriously, the atmosphere, Jodie Gibson as court-side commentator and and competition itself (it was a real spectacle) was netball at its best, in whatever format you choose to watch!
