#24 Reaction to Superleague 2020 cancellation

Inevitable you may think, that the Vitality Superleague 2020 has been cancelled because of the impact of Corona virus. Doesn’t make it any more disappointing  though, does it!?!

I’m very grateful I was able to get last minute Storm v Thunder tickets before the lockdown began - even more grateful I made the effort to go! 😉

I was meant to take my eldest to her first Superleague game, London Pulse v Wasps a few weeks ago and it was really sad that we couldn’t go - she was so looking forward to watching Ashleigh Dekker, by far her favourite netballer!

I also had Grand Final tickets - like many, was looking forward to a netball extravaganza, as well as a day out with the netball family away from the stresses and strains of normal family life! (Oh how I long for those stresses and strains now!)

It’s the right decision for netball though and if social media reactions are anything to go by, the netball family are in total agreement. It is my opinion,  and I do have personal experience, that the people who are now at the top of netball in this country have the absolute best interests of our great sport, at the very heart of their decision making.

The decision to make this call must have been excruciating.

I am sure the players themselves will be feeling all kinds of emotions. There will be up and coming players, who’s break out seasons have been cut short, as well as more experienced players who may well have been considering 2020 to be their last.

These athletes cannot continue in limbo though, their physical wellbeing would have been considered at length. Remember netball has evolved, some of them train full time and the physicality and commitment to training is second to none.

There is a reason elite level sport has  ‘cycles’ - allowing athletes to build towards competitions and be at their physical best for those major events.

Social isolation training would have been very challenging on the mind, as well as difficult to modify for a game where working with others is paramount! It’s difficult enough at grass roots!

The actual infrastructure of Superleague teams also varies which would have played its part.

For example I understand there are some franchises that rely on ticket sales to actually put on matches, that would obviously have an impact on playing games without crowds. Venues would have also been a consideration, those within university campus’ may not have anywhere to play, as many unis are closed. Travel would have been another challenge - imagine being in charge of Sirens travel plans during various degrees of lock down guidelines, not to mention the difference between the home nations’ countries!

Just those few considerations (and I am sure there are a lot more - I am by no means an expert!)  are major obstacles in putting on a Superleague Competition as we know it. Our only hope now is a switch to a shorter Autumn competition, mentioned in the official statement. ( https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/vnsl-season-update/ )

My main concern, before the official cancellation this morning, was the impact a stopping of our great game may have on the momentum of netball, as well as wider within women’s sport. Without televised games, social media chatter, newspaper and internet coverage does this mean all the good work done in recent years, will be undone?

The obvious disappointment but positive reaction to the news this morning, the consistent approach by shows such as the Netball Nation podcast and ‘Off the Court’ from Sky, as well as a huge effort from netball fans to keep netball in the social media spotlight, I thankfully, think not!

It is up to the netball family to not only maintain momentum but to build on it. Of course, we are netball, this can and will be done. Anyone betting against us are fools!

#23 May we never take netball for granted again

I’ve been in netball a long time...........officially 30 years, but regular readers / followers of my social media channels will know I was bought up around the courts, so 40 years in October!

I’ve learnt (often the hard way!) that in netball, like in life really, that there are people who ‘do’ and there are people who ‘don’t’.

As society has changed over the years so have, in my opinion, people’s attitudes and we find fewer ‘doers’ wearing many different hats!

An example would be a Head Coach taking on other jobs that others won’t do, such as arranging fixtures, organising match teas, finding officials, buying post protectors.....the list goes on.

There are many other netball examples.

We all know at least one of these people and they do it because they have a love for the game and a passion to see it succeed. Their attitude (as I am often reminded!) is, if they didn’t do it then no one else will.

My argument is, how will we ever know,  if those absolute stalwarts and volunteer legends, don’t release their grip?

I have been that person and I am afraid I am not gracious or generous enough to have continued in an extremely unappreciated role. I am now, of course, very appreciative of those who do, though!

When I gave up so much of my netball volunteering, did the roles and responsibilities I have, get done? Of course they did and continue to do so.

It’s  not without a lot of pain though, I do realise that!

An example of this came this season actually. I do not ‘do’ anywhere near as much as I used to - purposely. However I still seem to be coaching ad hoc, being called on at last minute to coach at matches (although for the first time ever I said ‘no’ this season!), coach mentoring (absolutely my choice as I love it!) as well as ‘persuaded’ to take control of the club’s social media. Not bad for someone who said she was just going to play this season!

I shall be doing even less next season. One of the reasons for this is the continuous lack of appreciation I feel. I put the emphasis on me as I realise it’s more my problem more than anyone else’s.

 I realise there are people who do far more. There are also people who do far less.

To be asked one week ‘please can you do match teas, it’s your turn?’ was like a huge kick in the gut.

The person who asked is bound to be reading this  and is herself a ‘above & beyond volunteer’. So, I will say I bear no malice at all and realise it’s no one persons fault. I just feel that there are many individuals in the team who’s only contribution during the season is one match tea - perhaps they could volunteer to do two, taking the strain of those team mates who already volunteer?

It’s been fairly easy during this lockdown period to be reflective, we have that time, after all. I possibly find it easier than others - I have used reflection a lot in my coaching.

I try not to be bitter. Netball has given me so much and one of my weaknesses is that I can take things very personally.

I think the biggest ‘take away’ for me, from lockdown, is taking things for granted! I would give anything to pick up a ball, call some mates and get to a netball court for a run around. I know, from social media, that many ‘ballers feel the same.

Do we take that very simple event of a netball match, for granted? You bet we do.

I’m hopeful that when we are back to our ‘new normal’ attitudes will again change. We will not forget this time and it will not be in vain.

I intend to volunteer to do two match teas next season as I won’t be doing anything else. Perhaps others may do the same.

I’d like to see a netball community who are more thoughtful and considerate. Players who ‘rock up and play’ (and I am not saying there is anything wrong with that!) more appreciative of the volunteers who contribute so much, to allow them to play.

I’d like a realisation to be held that the more people who contribute to organising netball activity, the less work actually needs to be done.

I think the more people who contribute, even in the smallest ways, after lockdown, the more our great game will grow and we will all see the benefits!

I think that’s something to look forward to. I think hope is positive.

Who’s with me?

#22 Memories

As the lockdown rolls on, the global netball community continues to pull it out of the bag where entertainment, knowledge sharing & keeping in match shape, is concerned! There is so much awesome content out there I am struggling to keep up!

One of the focus’ of late has been a bit of nostalgia, with club Twitter feeds sharing old photos, Facebook pages ablaze with old newspaper cuttings and ‘ballers sharing netball memories left, right & centre! The most heart warming thing about this, for me, is the former players reconnecting.

Anyone for another big spike in participation after this is all over!?!😉

I love a bit of reminiscing. So, I’ve come up with my ten favourite netball memories.

I imagine some will be quite common and others are pretty specific to me! I’ve had to leave a fair few out, including coaching in Australia and Holland, separate experiences at the International Netball Festival Disney, various good memories from different netball jobs I’ve been fortunate enough to have, meeting netball superstars and even the World Cup in  Liverpool! The top 10 must be good! What are your top ten?


💜10.  Being brought up around the netball courts. My mum was a lone parent so where she went, my sister and I generally went too - especially when we were little. This meant practicing 100 passes without dropping the ball, court side at Portsmouth’s home of netball, Bransbury Park. Exploring forests in Odiham and Chichester, whilst she played in the local leagues and making life long friends with other netball kids watching their mums, aunties and sisters playing our great sport!

💜 9. Role models. See above. The amount of feisty, spunky, independent, strong, caring, opinionated, intelligent, ambitious, talented, fit, hardworking, committed, loyal, real women we regularly spent time with was, I realise now, hugely important in my upbringing.

💜 8. Pontins. Those who know, know. I don’t need to say anymore.

💜 7. Alex Barlass Inter counties. I have memories of two of these competitions for completely different reasons! I was treated to new trainers before my first Alex Barlass Championships - I choose some very ‘different’ bright orange Nike’s. No one would blink an eye at them these days but they caused quite a stir back then! Anyway, I got attention for all the wrong reasons when I hurt my knee during the tournament and struggled to get up that hill at Bassett Sports Centre, Southampton on crutches! The second year was memorable for all the right reasons, exceeding all expectations (our own as well as others!) by finishing 5th at the tournament. Never to be repeated! Unprecedented.

💜 6. National Clubs Tournament. I cheered on my Mum and her Meon team mates  at two of these ‘pinnacle’ events, one at Crystal Palace, one at Wembley. I remember painting banners, throwing purple & white tic a tape & my Mum signing autographs! I also remember ALOT of alcohol being consumed by players on the way home!

💜 5. East Hants at Inter counties Bournemouth. For reasons I won’t go into, I found myself in a very  ‘scratch’ County representative side for the end of season inter counties tournament. Without meaning  to be offensive I don’t think the side we put out would have done very well in the ‘2nd team’ competition. We were in the 1st team event though and absolutely hammered. I remember Essex Met were in our group, with the absolutely marvellous Fiona Murtagh, recently retired from England Netball I think, playing - I couldn’t wait to play against them, especially as I was being stuck in at WA & Murtagh played WD! Anyway dreams aren’t always fulfilled - she was ‘rested’ for the match against East Hants and I was pulled off at half time!!! 😂

💜 4. My wedding surprise! Those who know me well, may well describe me as a ‘control freak’, so,  it will come as no surprise my wedding  day was planned within an inch of its life! When I stepped out of The Square Tower in Old Portsmouth, with my new husband, the last thing I expected was to find my netball team outside, in full kit, waiting to give me my ‘Guard of Honour’! It was the only time I cried during the day! I still don’t know how they pulled it off, 10 years later!

💜 3. Writing for The News. For nearly 8 years I had the privilege of writing the  netball page for the local newspaper. It wasn’t the most glamorous of roles and I remember having to battle pretty hard on occasion, to be heard, in the very male dominated profession of sports journalism! However, the good always outweighed the not so good and my favourite memories were writing the more ‘real life’ stories about overcoming challenges, off court success and controversial issues (always a rebel!). I also loved getting to know the person behind the on court player. So many people helped and contributed to that page it’s such a shame it finished recently, but I believe it was a real trailblazer for women’s sport in local news.

💜 2. Meon presentations. Our netball club goes back a long, long time - the 60’s I believe and the club was very fortunate in the 80s & 90s to have legendary duo ‘Karen & Kimmi’ in charge - particularly of the end of season presentations. Nothing was left to chance, everything had been thought of, down to carefully written menus to home made flower displays. I truly believe professional party planners couldn’t have done a better job. So much thought, hard work and personal touches were offered and hugely successful. Those parties were the highlight of my late teens / early twenties! Legendary. How I miss them!

💜 1. Regional League. Since I began Coaching Meon (a club I had been a part of since I was 11 years old) In the  early 2000s I had wanted to get them into the regional league. It was a personal goal but also one that I knew could be realised when we started building a potentially talented young (ish!) team. It finally happened in 2012 after a few near misses that clearly made us stronger. For me it was a personal triumph after a very difficult few months off court and away from home. I actually came back to find the team in a really strong position, but losing our starting GS who had decided a holiday was priority over the play offs! 😬 Cue me, frantically trying to get match fit and putting shots up at every opportunity in the couple of weeks before the big game!

Anyway, the rest they say is history. But the biggest memory for me from that day is achieving that dream with my friends.

 The legacy is Meon still have a team in the regional league. Proud.