#21 Changes to the game?

#Neeks amongst us will know that the recent Bushfire Fundraising event in Australia, which saw the Australian Diamonds take on the ‘best of the rest’ saw the 2 point shot introduced for the first time in a ‘main’, if not competitive, netball match.

There was mixed feelings from those involved as well as supporters. For me, the jury is still out, but I realise I am a traditionalist at heart!

I mean, I’d settle for watching any ‘live’ netball at the moment! Who knows when we’ll get to see any netball or get back on courts ourselves? This ‘lock down’ time has given me the opportunity to reflect on what the future game might look like though!

There has been one lot of substantial rule changes in my lifetime that I can think of, that I remember anyway! It happened a few years ago now: the main change being you don’t have to wait for ‘play’ and there was no whistle when the ball went out of court. The idea was to quicken up the game and I think that has been a success.

I couldn’t imagine watching Superleague Games on TV nowadays and waiting for Gary Burgess or Chris Obin to say ‘play’ before Mikki Austin or Yas Parsons could take a throw in!

With the growth and success of the game, nationally, as well as internationally, there is more frequent talk about rule changes. There is also plenty of debate, on social media in particular, about what may work and what doesn’t or wouldn’t. This has lead to some trial ‘implementations’ like we saw at the Bushfire Relief event.

Suncorp Super Netball, had things been different, were introducing rolling substitutions for the new season. This would have ‘done away’ with the extremely irritating ‘fake injury’ scenarios we’ve been putting up with, so coaches can make tactical changes. It would have been really interesting to see it in practice and how these rolling substitutions would have effected games and also the actual practicalities of how they happen.

It is definitely one of the rules I would change about our great game. I get very frustrated when opposition ‘calls time’ for an injury to make a change when there is just no injury. That’s not to say we haven’t used the rule to our advantage of course, it just seems so bloody dishonest and indeed, not ‘in keeping’ with our great game!

I am, by nature, rather cautious when talk is of ‘making changes’ to netball. I am a traditionalist but I do realise that can be a good and bad thing! More than that though I just don’t like change for change sake. If a rule is genuinely effecting the game and needs to be changed then so be it, but change just for the sake of it? No thanks.

We are all experiencing a lot of change during this Corona Virus pandemic - it’s something we’ve all had to get used to and completely out of our control. Obviously these changes are at a different end of the spectrum to any netball changes that may or may not be being considered. The changes we are implementing for our own safety are completely different, but we still take ownership of them, they are for our own well being.

I think if major rule changes are to be considered they must take all views and opinions into play (pardon the pun!) and that’s everyone involved: players, coaches, umpires and yes, even, fans!

There are areas of the game where I would welcome rule changes to netball. For example professional Players are stronger and fitter than ever before. (Because they are professional!)

I see that that is impacting on our game, it is far more physical. (A debate for another day maybe!)  If there were rule changes that can limit injuries, for example, I think that would be a positive change. That may well be my 3 years of ACL rehab talking though!!!

Change is one of the considerations netball has to be very careful of when attracting and negotiating with sponsors and commercial partners. Money talks after all.

Would netball consider a drastic change to the game, for example: no centre passes, back lines to be taken after each goal. If, Nike said they’d double their investment? (I’ve no idea why Nike would want to do away with Centre passes, but hopefully you get my drift!)

To a certain extent this already happening ‘down under’. Nissan Net Points anyone!?!

I was a huge football fan when I was a kid - followed it almost religiously. But it’s my opinion that the vast, bewildering and often immoral amounts of money involved in buying players, paying wages and even the price of replica kit, has completely ruined the sport.

I can’t see netball following suit but I would hate us to even contemplate following a similar path. We could be so much more.

As well as debating changes to the ‘traditional’ game. We’ve also seen the evolution of ‘Fast Fives’ and other forms of netball, like the Red Bull switch up.

I am much more comfortable with these different variations and events. There’s room for changes, sponsorship and income generation.

Everyone knows where they stand with these different forms - Fast Fives is a great example: the rules are easy to follow (even if the format is not, in the UK competition!), the game is entertainment based and the audiences expectations are met. It ticks all boxes. It’s also a separate product to our ‘traditional’ game and is treated as such, where,  I think the success lies!

To conclude, netball isn’t broken, so there is nothing to fix!

It’s a great product in its own right. Leave it alone and let the game do the talking.

Peddle the other forms of the game to the sponsors who want changes and profitable sponsorship deals.

#20 Lockdown

It’s a funny old time isn’t it!?! I’m having good and bad days and I am sure everyone is the same. We all have different circumstances which throw up different challenges but every day, whether good or bad, I do try to count my blessings and be grateful for what we have, rather than what we haven’t.

For example, we will never, ever, have this time again. Whilst self isolating with a 7 year old and not quite 2 year old has its moments (!) actually the time we spend together can be quality time and I am trying my hardest to appreciate it!

Anyway enough of that ‘mushy’ over sentimental craziness - this blog is netball-inspired so we best get back to it!

Isn’t the netball family wonderful! I mean, I knew it before, but seriously the amount of effort, support, kindness and best wishes extended to team mates, netball communities and the global netball family has been immense. I’ve never been so proud to be a netballer!

The amount of shared netball love on social media is insane! From Superleague franchises streaming regular fitness sessions to clips of juniors sharing their chalk-created assault courses. There are some awesome ideas and inspiration from the wider netball community. The vast amount of netball knowledge being shared is also unprecedented! It can only be a good thing!

Neeks or would-be neeks, with more time on their hands, should definitely check out ‘Gaudy’s Gasbags’ on YouTube for some revealing insight into past Australian Diamonds. The chat with coaching legend Norma Plummer is first class entertainment.

Team Bath’s Kim Cummane also pops up on the ‘Having a Chat’ podcast. Definitely worth a listen if you fancy an insight into the differences between Suncorp Super Netball and the Vitality Super League. Cummane also discusses the challenges she  has dealt with in her career and her honest views on Australia’s import policy. It was a compelling listen!

Regular readers know I am a big fan of Netball Nation and the gang are continuing their weekly podcast despite no netball actually happening! I always look forward to Thursday or Friday download but none more so than at the moment - Sara Bayman’s frankness is always a highlight.

I have a background and been fairly successful with Back to Netball programmes and sustaining that participation. I have thought ALOT about those back to netballers and social netballers, when all the exercise content was being shared online recently. Those videos and live sessions have the very best intentions at heart and on the whole have been fabulous.

With my ‘Back to Netball’ hat on though I have been concerned that our new to netball participants would be put off by the intensity of some of these sessions or worse, injure themselves trying to do the up & down plank or HIIT workouts. There has been a lot of research,  a lot of experiences
 and a lot of work put into B2N participants’ motivations - it’s something I pride myself on knowing and sharing and what makes the programme so successful, in my opinion!

So concerned was I, I’ve just completed a 5 day fun, fitness challenge on my Netball in the Community Facebook page - which has gone down a treat! It’s been targeted at those returning players and social participants who maybe play once a week and just want to keep active and make sure they are safe, when we all eventually return to the courts! It has meant I have had to come completely out of my comfort zone to see and record myself on screen though. It’s just not something I enjoy doing or seeing, self consciousness and anxiety goes into overdrive! BUT, was it worth it? Definitely and we all know getting out of that comfort zone is a good thing!

The seriousness of the Corona Virus pandemic cannot be underestimated and the Government advice of ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ cannot be over emphasised.

There is far more important things going on right now than netball but, with more time on my hands, I have found the response to the lock down by ‘professional’ teams really interesting.

In the UK, so far, 3 Superleague franchises have effectively ‘shut down’ and furloughed players and support staff. This doesn’t bode well but is a familiar story across the sporting landscape not just in netball. I’m worried for those support staff but I guess it is the same for many, many people not just in the UK, but across the world, right now. My heart genuinely goes out to them.

The fact that Premier league football clubs have done the same thing for their staff makes my blood boil! What some of those premier league stars, not to mention Boardroom staff, earn in a week would be enough to keep a netball franchise going for several seasons. Don’t even get me started in comparing their earnings to NHS nurses etc etc.

What’s going to happen to the Vitality Superleague is anyone’s guess! I think there are a range of options but it really depends on how long this all lasts for and what can be negotiated in terms of the international calendar - will the Superleague, as well as SSN & the ANZ league in New Zealand even have the time to play?

There will be those who say thank goodness this has all happened so early on in the 4 year cycle and I, myself have breathed a sigh of relief on social media, that the World Cup was last year and not this. The first year of a new cycle is really important for young, emerging talent though so it will be interesting to see if this does have an impact long term. It will be the same for all nations mind you.

If you think the ‘professional’ leagues have problems spare a thought for all those volunteers who run the regional and county leagues across the UK. If they ‘call’ the league as they stand there are going to be very happy teams and clubs, but equally some very unhappy ones too. Those decisions are going to influence promotions and relegations. But with 95% of all matches played, I fail to see that their is an alternative. It’s the ‘fairest’ option - but I understand not everyone will see it as ‘fair’ to them!

My own team will miss out on winners’ medals in the County league if the situation does stay the same. We’re one game short of the league leaders and if we win we’ll go top. The game still to be played, we won convincingly in the first half of the season. In the grand scheme of things the top two are promoted, so it doesn’t really matter. For me though gold is always prettier than silver! My competitiveness must take a back seat for once.

Whatever the outcomes, whether your team benefit or are put at a disadvantage or aren’t effected at all - please do bear in mind that league organisers are mostly volunteers. They have big decisions to make and will be damned either way - if you can’t say anything kind, don’t say anything at all!

#19 Communication: it’s key!

My youngest started nursery recently and I could not be happier with the staff’s willingness and desire to help her settle in. They are highly professional, approachable and everything you would want from people entrusted to look after your child.

The communication though has been terrible.

The nursery uses an app to keep parents informed on little ones daily routine with pictures etc. I couldn’t get on the app for almost two weeks - I was told that there was one person in the office that could help but she only works until 4pm (I pick up a little later).

 I left lots of messages with various convenient times listed to call. I never did get a call although I can now get on the app which I guess that is the main thing! For the first two weeks I had no clue what my child had been up to. The silence was deafening.

My eldest attends swimming lessons and has been going for around two years. Again, I am completely on board with the swimming teachers - they’re patient, enthusiastic and highly qualified. I’ve even been known to take some of their motivations and language into my netball coaching sessions!

The communication from the swimming school is absolutely awful though. If there is a cancellation we are not always told - how the actual company ‘stays afloat’ (!) is beyond me (and the other parents who sit pool side and chat about the incompetence!)

The NGB in their ‘Big Netball Conversation’ has always been open that communication is something it’s membership would like to see improve and I do see measures and opportunities addressing it. The fact that the ‘Big Netball Conversation’ takes place at all, is surely a huge plus?

Communication is key when it comes to engaging with and retaining membership. Messages need to be targeted, clear and appropriate. Outcomes need to be realistic, sustainable and long term.

For me, it’s the clubs that need help with communication with its participants and potential players. In this new age of social media and modern technology there really isn’t any excuse for poor communication but I see players leaving the sport, parents disengaging and potential participants put off by miscommunication or worse, no communication by clubs.

For example, if a potential netballer takes time to contact a club through its website it’s important contact details are up to date! A non response might not just put the participant off the club - it might well send them to another sport!

Equally if  a parent of a potential young ‘baller leaves a message or voicemail - they’ll want a timely response. Now, we all lead busy lives and ‘balls can be dropped’ when juggling lots of them (!) but if that parent doesn’t hear back, the likelihood is that young potential starlet has been lost.

Regular readers will know I am a strong advocate of volunteers and I am very passionate about our treatment of netball volunteers.

There will be a high chance that that website is managed by and that voicemail has been left for, a volunteer.

Isn’t it about time we offered those time-poor, passion-rich,  fabulous people something back? How about up-skilling? Or an awards programme where they can all be nominated (not just affiliated members).

It’s not just about new players either, how are clubs retaining players? Is the communication with their loyal participants appropriate or are they turning them off? Does every club have a social media policy and do all members abide by it?

I’ve recently been leading on a local club’s CAPs application - it’s a blog for another day and may take a while. I try to give a balanced view in all my blogs but I know I will find that one particularly difficult 😬 ! One thing I have noticed throughout CAPs though is there are lots of documents needed - many essential to communication with club members, but not often advice or guidance on how to complete these documents.

Equally, leagues, again often run by volunteers, could do with help with communication. I know of ‘traditional’ leagues that are being decimated or even ceasing to exist in some cases due to incoming ‘corporates’ setting up nearby. To those of us ‘in the know’ these corporate leagues offer a lot less for more money in most instances. But what they are good at, I presume(!) is communication. They have professional, paid staff, whose job is to attract & retain players so communication is key for them. They have the resource, the technology and importantly, the time, to successfully communicate with ‘ballers and potential ‘ballers! There is a lesson to be learnt there!

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I wrote the above blog before the Corona Virus hit (I normally have numerous blogs ‘on the go’ and don’t post them until I’m completely happy - I self edit, re read etc!) Having been in self isolation for the third week in a row I am not short of things to do - having two children helps with that! However I am finding more time for those netball admin jobs I have been putting off. Maybe it’s the same for you and your team mates? Maybe a ‘zoom’ conversation about communication in your club or a review of your website might be just the trick!