#42 Why we need to take Club Coaching more seriously

I LOVE being a netball coach, it’s the best role ever and I wouldn’t change it for the world! Like many coaches I wear a lot of hats, have experience of coaching different ages, different abilities; varying groups of people with different needs - more mature ladies at Walking Netball & those who have never played netball or haven’t played for a long time. I LOVE delivering Back to Netball! 

For the benefit of this blog though I’d like to discuss Club Coaching. Just for the sake of argument I am going to define ‘Club’ as more than one team, training regularly, competing & having a development emphasis within the ethos. 

I’ve been a Club Coach and whilst it definitely has its ‘ups’ and many of them, I believe it can also be an incredibly isolating job. Sadly, under appreciated - the burden of expectation from those around you, heavy on your shoulders. 

As we tentatively return to court with the hope all competition restrictions will be lifted in 2022, I am becoming increasingly worried about the lack of coaches and perhaps, more concerning, the loss of coaches in netball. 

For example, there are three ‘main’ or leading clubs in my area. They have varying ambitions and structures but one thing they all have in common is they have all been advertising for Coaches before this season commenced. 

There was a lack of Coaches before the pandemic and the problem is only going to get worse - unless we do something about it! I propose starting with appreciating what we have! 

Research amongst my peers clearly indicates that whilst we’ve all missed our great game during lockdown, it’s also given coaches plenty of time to reflect. 

Female coaches, with childcare, education, career progression and work / life balance issues (still more of a consideration than our male counterparts sadly) have decided that coaching no longer takes priority for a number of reasons. 

Disappointingly, ‘it doesn’t make me happy’ is front and centre. 

I realise this is not a scientific, geographic or official ‘poll’ but surely, just in my small square mileage of the South Coast  of England, it’s a very sad state of affairs. It is bound to have an impact on the wider netball community. 

My tentative questioning of netball coach friends elsewhere in the world, does see a similar trend. I wonder if it’s the same in other sports? Is it a trend in both male & female coaching and for those at different stages of their Club Coaching journeys? 

So, what do I mean by ‘under appreciated’? 

What players see at regular training sessions is normally the product of voluntary planning - analysis, thorough consideration of a teams’ needs, feedback from players (often ‘out of hours’) the list is endless. In a nutshell, the training session delivered is the tip of the iceberg for a Coach. So much more goes into delivery & the art of coaching! 

10 years ago, when I first started being paid to coach, the National Governing Body’s ‘best practice’ guideline for Level 2 Coaches was £20 an hour. 

Guess what? That hasn’t changed! 

I was asked to take on a Back to Netball session in the New Year - at a venue not too far away from the very first Back to Netball session I delivered nearly 12 years ago. I would ‘take home’ less now than I would back then! Whilst the £20 coaching fee hasn’t gone up, train fares certainly have! 

I have fond memories of Club Coaching and wouldn’t rule out a return in the future - time and a thicker skin dependent! I made the decision to step away before the pandemic hit and am very happy concentrating on other coaching avenues. 

I total understand and appreciate where these Netball Club Coaches are coming from though. It was tough before Covid-19 so far more difficult now. Who do you think has taken on all those extra Covid-19 responsibilities?! 

To coach any club side properly & successfully takes time & dedication, if you don’t have the wider support to make it work, it’s always going to be difficult to prioritise. 

It’s not an easy decision for those leaving club coaching behind, what are we doing to change their minds though? 

#41 Positives always outweigh the negatives

 I try to be a glass half full kind of person. 

It’s been a challenging weekend though, both on and around the courts and my normal sunny disposition has greyed somewhat! 

I’ve spent the last 24hours chuntering to anyone who would listen about the injustices and unfairness of a variety of netball scenarios over the weekend. 

Frankly, most of which have nothing to do with me and don’t effect me! Why do I get involved? Because I care, of course! 

I’ve been writing a blog, in my head, at least, about these negative netball atrocities (!) but have come to the decision that me spouting off actually doesn’t do any good and may actually give air to those fools, who don’t have netball’s best interests at heart, use the system to their own advantage and despite appearances, make no attempt to conduct themselves in the spirit of netball! 

Instead, I choose to celebrate the benefits of netball, all the positives since we’ve been back on court ‘proper’ and all those lovely members of the netball community who are determined to see netball rise again! 

So, here is my top five highlights since netball has restarted! What’s your top netball moments in the last few months?!? Who are you going to share them with to spread some netball love!?! 

1. Three netball festivals. 100s of Netballers coming together, reconnecting & playing the game they love. Extra benefits of this include: fundraising for charities including Macmillan, some amazing cake making & supporting our local facilities who are also coming out of lockdown.

2. Kindness of non Netballers. The best recent example of this is when Walkie Talkies, our Walking Netball lovelies, applied for some community funding. We approached our local Councillor for some support and the interest she showed and the letter she wrote supporting the application, blew me away. It went above and beyond what she had to do and led to a successful bid and, in turn, secured the long term future of the group. 

3. Messages of support! Social Media is a beast that for me, is a necessary evil of sorts! My social media followers only see the positive but those who have grown to know me well have an uncanny knack of contacting me with a note of appreciation or a text of support when needed the most! Thoughtfulness costs nothing but is always appreciated. 

4. Old netball friends. I’ve seen people in the last few weeks, who I grew up watching or playing with, who I haven’t seen for years! Isn’t it funny how you fall into the same ease & comfortable-ness almost immediately with people you know so well! I even went to the pub after our walking netball friendly with some of them! I’ve never been so grateful for ‘normal’ ! 

5. 25 new to netball primary school children! I really do find it a privilege to introduce Newbies to our great sport! It’s also a huge responsibility and one I do not take lightly. Two new after school sessions have been started during September and I get a huge buzz from the positivity, enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge from these kids! It’s infectious! 

For me, it’s not just about the netball either - these children are learning about team work, resilience and overcoming challenges during weekly sessions. I also believe being active at a young age leads to greater benefits and healthy habits throughout life. I love making this contribution to young people’s lives. 

#40 Giving back!

Awesome news! 

I visited and agreed to run an after school club in a Junior School today! 

Not all that special you might think, but then I’ll throw in that it’s the school I used to attend where some of my formative, favourite netball memories are from and then you might appreciate how excited & grateful I am! 

I attended Newbridge Middle School until1993, back in the days when Year 7 was the oldest year group in Primary School, rather than the first year in Seniors. 

Mum volunteered as Coach, as you would expect if you know my Mum! 

Mrs Sherrington was ‘in charge’ though and did an absolute awesome job at inspiring young girls to be active, giving them confidence & helping them learn the meaning of ‘being a team’. 

Newbridge was incredibly supportive, organising entry to tournaments at weekends, having extra practices and buying new equipment. 

I even remember a Children in Need match against the teachers where all the school came out to watch and support. I’m not sure they’d get away with that now!!! 

Our first year of school netball saw us enter into the local schools tournament against teams a year older. I’m not sure if we were entered into the wrong age group or if that was the only one we could enter. We were absolutely trounced throughout but apart from remembering coming last, all my memories are positive. We had such a great time despite the results - Miss Sherrington set us mini targets that we all achieved, we clapped and applauded like we’d won the World Cup when we actually scored one goal & I can just remember being really grateful we were there! 

A year later we were back at the same tournament, against our own age group, with a year’s more worth of training and match play and took home the winners trophy! 

Funny thing is I remember the first year far better! 

To have the opportunity to go back to Newbridge as a ‘Grown up’ and fully fledged, qualified Netball Coach is right up there with everything I have achieved! 

As well as being passionate about netball I am also really passionate about children having opportunities to be active and all the benefits that come with that - confidence, empowerment, health and wellbeing. 

To visit Newbridge today, in the middle of their Sports Week, to see and feel the passion, commitment and enthusiasm for sport that I first felt their so many years ago, was really inspirational! 

If I can inspire some of their pupils from September, not only will I be doing my job, it would have taken me full circle! 

#39 I’m a failure!

I tried, I really did, but to write a review of each round of the Vitality Netball Superleague was just beyond me! There’s been too many young stars emerging, too many umpiring calls to talk about and too many ‘comebacks’ that have just been unbelievably inspiring! 

The excitement has also got the better of me! I’ve been writing coaching notes on each match, tweeting my little heart out (@netballcoachnow) & enthusiastically encouraging my netball community to get watching. Frankly, I’m exhausted and writing match reports may well send me over the edge! 

We’ve come to a natural break with no Superleague matches this weekend though, so thought now was a good time to pause, take a break and put some of my thoughts down on paper. 

So here goes........

Let’s first talk about the emerging talent we’ve seen! From Sophie Kelly’s immediate impact for Storm to Alice Harvey’s amazing consistency for Lightning. The EN pathway seems to be bursting with talent & it’s incredible we get to see these players at the beginning of their careers! 

Regular readers will know I have a long term worry about what happens when England LEGEND Geva retires. It keeps me awake at night! 

I needn’t! It’s covered! 😉

There have been some stand out performances from stalwart players too. Lightning’s Mary Chalhok is in incredible form, the transformation from 3 years ago is amazing (check out YouTube!) 

Sophie Drakeford -Lewis really impressed in the England Roses tour to New Zealand at the end of last year. She has started the Superleague where she left off in NZ! 

Her partnership with Kim Borger is already reaping benefits and is only going to get better. I am loving seeing them play! 

Controversially perhaps, I’ve been disappointed with the import players so far this season - at least those who arrived with some fanfare! 

Maybe, Jamaican shooters Rebekah Robinson & Gezelle Allison need a bit longer to ‘bed in’ to their respective teams. I thought the SA attacking line up of Sigi Burger & Lefebre Rademan would smash up the court for Pulse but again it might be more of a slow burn! 

In comparison, those who arrived in the Vitality Superleague more quietly have made their mark! 

Storm defender Leah Middleton has particularly impressed for me. Her work rate both on & off the ball is phenomenal & you can see, as each game passes, she looks a bit more comfortable & is adjusting to the UK umpires! Her partnership with Alima Priest is also going to bear more fruit as the season progresses. 

Malawian Towera Vinkhumbo is also stamping her authority on the Superleague court. Sirens have picked up a great signing at GK and again she will only get better as the season progresses. 

Has Sirens been the ‘surprise’ package of the season? They’ve unfortunately picked up a number of injuries but just go about their business quietly & in a really efficient way. They’re young shooting circle of Emma Barrie & Beth Goodwin weren’t the starting shooting combo but have stepped up big time, seemingly running rings around defenders with far more experience. That is a partnership that is going places in the future! 

Could Sirens secret weapon not be on court at all?! Karen Atkinson is match day coach for the side & I just have a feeling that is making all the difference to their confidence. After all, what an inspiration & fountain of knowledge to have next to you! 

Atkinson’s former team Loughborough Lightning are also going great guns in 2021. A great mix of youth and experience, Coach Sara Bayman has got them playing some first class netball. Their mid court of Joseph, Pannagary & Cobden is among the slickest in the league.  

For me, the ones to beat are still Team Bath. I tipped them for the title ( see previous blog) before the league began and on paper, at least, they have superior strength in depth. I’ve seen nothing on court to make me change my mind! If anything, they might be a little further along than I thought! 

Bath play Thunder when the action returns and that is going to be one game not to miss! 

What am I saying? I haven’t missed any this season and not likely to either! Happy netball watching! 

#38 Super League Predictions

Apologies for another pre Super League 2021 blog! I am so bloomin’ excited! 

Thought I’d give my crystal ball 🔮 a dust off and see what we can come up with in terms of predictions, for the new season. Long term readers will know this isn’t a strength of mine, but we’ll have a bit of fun with it nevertheless! 

Controversy: Netball is, thankfully, not known for football- like ‘dust ups’ and long may that continue! With such a bright light being shone on every single game though (woop!) there is bound to be something that goes from molehill to mountain in 60 seconds. 

We’ve already had Franchise Managers ‘banned’ court side and tweeting their disappointment at the decision, which I believe has since been overturned! (The tweet has also, since, been deleted!) 

Whether it’s a misbehaving player, coaching decision or umpiring mistake, in current times it will be very easy for the little things to become escalated! We all have an opinion & with social media as it is, those opinions are easily shared! 

Upsets

Think Severn Stars beating Wasps in the ill-fated 2020 season. There’s always a giant killing or surprise result somewhere and they’re normally, in netball anyway, a close and exciting spectacle! 

So, who are we going for: Storm beating Thunder by 1 or Sirens coming from behind to take the victory against Team Bath? How many ‘upsets’ will there be? 

Injury

Unfortunately, elite sport can be cruel. There’s bound to be a season ending injury like an ACL or Achilles tear. 

Some of the fixtures don’t offer a lot of recovery time ( I am sure this would have been taken into consideration along with a whole heap of other factors getting this league up and running) but that could have an impact on bodies. 

Fingers crossed, with Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, just around the corner, it’s not one of our home grown athletes. 

Spectators

Maybe this is more of a Hope than a prediction! 

The season is played over 4 months with the semi finals and final scheduled for the Copperbox on the weekend of the 26th & 27th June. If everything goes to plan (everything crossed!) you’d think and hope that by then the world would have some resemblance of ‘normal’ about it and we might even have fans allowed in! 

I’m first in the queue!🤞 

Winners 

There are a lot of unknowns to the 2021 Super League season. We haven’t seen any of the teams or players for nearly a year and we have a brand new franchise entering the fray - which, for me, doubles the excitement! 

It makes informed predictions on who might win even more difficult! 

I am going to take a punt on Team Bath though. They have really exciting players, from hugely experienced Roses Captain Serena Guthrie to the emerging talent of GA Sophie Drakeford-Lewis. 

I think it’s fair to say Team Bath haven’t fulfilled potential in recent years so their desire and hunger after a very long pre season (!) will be evident. 

I also believe they have one of the most tactically astute coaches in the business in Anna Stembridge. 

All those factors together make for a very heady cocktail of success! It just remains to be seen if the right ingredients can be mixed at the right time, to see the ‘right’ results! 

#37 The anticipation is insane!

In the 17 year history of the UK Super League, has there ever been a more anticipated start to a season?!?! 

I doubt it. 

Social media is awash with excitement, team Whats App groups have a daily countdown and the elite players excitement levels must be off the scale! 

We must remember the huge effort, work & sacrifice to get us to this point. The teams behind the teams are just the most remarkable people. 

It’s such an achievement getting this league up and running in the midst of a global pandemic. We simply must ‘turn up and watch’ in numbers, in appreciation of the ‘behind the scenes’ inevitable blood, sweat and tears. 

For me, it’s also not JUST about the netball! 

For netball lovers across the UK it’s also about hope. 

Hope that grass roots level sport will soon return. 

Hope that youngsters will be inspired by strong, athletic role models and return to the sport they once loved or will come to love. 

Hope, that whilst many facets to life right now are shockingly shit, we can turn on our TV or lap top and ‘escape’ to whistle happy umpires, whoops of delight as long bombs drop and gasps of amazement following glory interceptions. 

(Joke about whistle happy umpires, honest!) 

BRING IT ON! 

The teams I am most looking forward to watching are probably pretty obvious. 

Manchester Thunder are defending champions and I think, the Super League team that has changed the least- says a lot about their faith in players, development pathway and strength in depth. 

Leeds Rhinos are the great unknowns. That’s excitement right there! Even without Maddie Brown, (ticket sales anyone! 😉) they have a really impressive mix of youth & experience and Aussie GS Donnell Wallam comes with rave reviews, despite not actually playing in Suncorp Super Netball.......yet! 

For me the strongest team on paper is Team Bath. Serena Guthrie. Layla Guscoth. Eboni Usoro- Brown. Need I say more!?! 

There are also individual players I am excited to see. 

Donnel Willam has already been mentioned. She was lauded as the stand out player from a ‘friendly’ Suncorp Super Netball pre season 2020 game, in which she played for a Perth ‘best of the rest’ team against eventual league finalists West Coast Fever. 

I am REALLY looking forward to her linking up with Rhea Dixon. I’m not sure why Dixon didn’t get the ‘rub of the green’ at Surrey Storm, but to me the GA has bags of potential. Her movement off the ball and link up play is sublime. Perhaps a change of scene and a boost in confidence is just what she needs. I really hope so! 

Ashleigh Dekker started all three matches for Pulse in the ill-fated 2020 season and as long as she’s recovered from the ankle injury that saw her limp off in a pre season friendly, I think she is definitely one to look out for this year. 

She is one of those Centres who will just not give in, stubborn, and that’s going to be great to play with, but very challenging to play against! She is going to learn HEAPS coming up against opponents like Guthrie, O’Hanlon and Clarke. 

Team Bath GS Kim Borger (Cummane) has a style all of her own and I absolutely love it! There is not another shooter in the UK Superleague like her, her footwork in that circle and agility is breathtaking at times! 

Of all the players I’ve missed watching she comes out on top and I’m looking forward to trying to emulate some of those swing balls and footwork patterns, when I can don the GS bib again, myself! 😉

Not long to wait, I’ll be sat on my sofa with a celebratory G&T waiting with baited breathe for the Celtic Dragons v Leeds Ehinos game on Friday. Who’s with me!?! 

Full fixtures for 2021 can be viewed here: https://www.netballsl.com/fixtures-results/ 

#36 1:1 Coaching

It will come as no surprise, due to the global pandemic, I have delivered far more 1:1 coaching in the last 10 months than I have, traditional, group / team sessions. 

I won’t lie, it’s a challenge and does not come naturally! 

After all netball is a team sport and before Covid-19 took hold I very rarely heard of coaches delivering 1:1 sessions and can count on one hand, the number of times I had delivered to a single person, myself. 

A good coach is always adaptable though and it’s not like I don’t have time to think practices through, find some creative solutions and make sure sessions I deliver are beneficial to each participant. 

As I’ve discussed before in my blogs, meeting expectations is crucial and whilst to most it’s fairly obvious, with just one player and coach match play isn’t going to happen. I’ve learnt it is worth having the discussion before we start though! 

Understandably, Covid-19 guidelines will also impact on what you can and can’t do! Not ball sharing during lockdown 1 was as silly as it was impractical but dear me, we did have a laugh! I’ve learnt having a giggle during lockdown 1:1s is just as important, if not more so in some cases, as the actual exercise! 

As much as 1:1 coaching at the beginning was a scary thought, going outside your comfort zone as a Coach is necessary for growth and learning. I have relished this opportunity. 

My creativity in coaching has improved tenfold. It was probably one of the weaker elements of my delivery and a challenge that has needed to be overcome for 1:1 sessions to be successful. This has and will have a positive impact on my confidence in this area! 

My technical knowledge has always been pretty sound as a Coach but 1:1s give your more opportunity to discuss technique and tactics, in particular. Communication around these areas, explaining and checking knowledge is always good to practice as a Coach. I have found with 1:1s you have the opportunity of being more specific and tailoring that explanation to the individual. 

What’s more a 1:1 participant seems as grateful for those nuggets of knowledge that they can take into match play (when it is safe to do so!) as they are for the run around and ‘escape’ from reality. 

Let’s be honest the majority of us grassroots netballers do not want to be involved in 1:1s right now - whether as a Coach or participant. What we all want to be doing is running round a court with our mates, high fiving & shaking hands without a thought. But, whilst 1:1s are all that are allowed we might as well make the most of it and I am certain I am going to be a better Coach for it! 

*As a responsible, qualified netball coach I take my Covid-19 responsibilities very seriously. All Covid-19 guidelines are adhered to and nothing is more important than participant and Coach safety.