I had a passing, but thought provoking, conversation with an acquaintance recently. It was a surprise catch up where mid conversation she remarked ‘well, die-hard netballers will play anywhere. Those new to activity might be a bit more discerning!’
She’s right of course.
I have played and coached in some absolute cess pools of venues - school playgrounds where the main challenge was to avoid the pot holes to 8 hour coach journey’s where the venue had one toilet for 12 teams!
Southampton Sports Centre is a hub for netball on the South Coast, but you soon learn to take your own toilet paper rather than risk the tracing paper provided! Those toilets haven’t had an upgrade since they were built, before I was born.
The recent Well HQ / England Netball pilot programme I was involved with also highlighted how sports venues are not exactly encouraging for women’s activity.
For example, we were asked to check our venue’s sanitary bin allocation. The majority of us reported back inadequate facilities. The sad part was no one was really surprised.
Other issues included doors hanging off cubicles and long term broken locks to wider issues effecting mainly (you guessed it) women’s participation - insufficient lighting in car parks, no public transport links, I could go on!
Why does it matter?
Well a lot when you’re trying to attract new people to your sport!
Following our home Commonwealth Games we will again expect an increase in participation. I always find this really exciting and I can see from the NGB website that there are a number of free taster sessions available following the netball final.
It’s great that our NGB is forward thinking and providing these opportunities. I know it will be a huge success!
I wonder how many of these venues are really suitable for women brand new to activity though?
Most people reading this are probably Netballers and active at least once a week if not more.
It’s difficult for us to imagine not being active but for the purpose of making my point, please give it a go!
Your experience of school PE might have been really poor, you might not have done any exercise at all for 20+ years, you might be overweight or returning to activity following a long term illness or pregnancy, you might have low self esteem or a mental health issue.
You might be experiencing all the above!
Now imagine walking through those leisure centre or school sports hall doors for the first time. In many cases that’s the hardest part and there will be many who don’t reach that far.
So, yes venues are important - equally as important as a warm welcome (how many first timers’ first experience will be a receptionist!?!) and qualified, experienced Coaches. I’ve long held the view that just because you might be a Level 2 Coach doesn’t make you a good Back to Netball Coach.
I’m currently having discussions about the venue I have been delivering Back to Netball in. We have had all sorts of problems including the court not being ready on more than one occasion, posts not secure, anti social behaviour, poor attitudes from staff, unclean and unsafe toilets and as we’re coming towards winter and darker evenings, I am concerned about the lighting in the car park and the poor transport links.
I need to review how I communicate these issues to the powers that be, as it’s pretty clear from the responses I get that my points are not being understood.
Sometimes my passion and frustration get the better of me but I am big enough to admit to my shortcomings. I intend to improve!
The people I am talking to absolutely do their best but it’s the decision makers who may well be the bottlenecks - not the messengers.
I wonder if I was a male organiser of a long term 5aside football hire, I might have different responses.
It might be that this session is a victim of its own success.
We have increased the participation by more than triple and the ladies have felt confident enough over the past couple of months to enter local fun & friendly festivals. They’re a passionate bunch and I admire their tenacity and willingness to get things done!
When promotion for this session wasn’t exactly forthcoming they took it upon themselves to design and print posters, sharing them on social media and plodding the local streets to spread the Back to Netball love!
They wanted to encourage more women to join them.
All the time they’re doing it, of course, it doesn’t need to be done by those whose job it is! Viscous circle.
Of all the indoor venues I am currently using for netball not one of them is ‘satisfactory’ ! The Back to Netball one has many problems already discussed, another venue I use doesn’t even have netball markings down! A new venue for Walking Netball isn’t full size - but it’s an improvement on the previous venue which we couldn’t use for two weeks in November and all of January, every year, as they use the hall for exams.
We need to acknowledge, of course, that there is clearly a lack of sports facilities in the UK, particularly indoor. More often than not netball organisers have to take what is offered.
I think, until recently, it hasn’t occurred to us to mind.
Well, I mind. I mind that we’re not a priority, I mind that when I want a wee I have to go to three different cubicles before I find a lock that works and I mind that my session doesn’t start on time because the leisure centre haven't employed enough staff and they have to double up on life guarding and putting badminton nets away.
I am an adaptable coach. But why should I constantly adapt? Why aren’t venues doing more or taking responsibility for what they are paid for?
If I went into Tesco and bought a pint of milk for £1.45 I’d expect a plastic bottle, milk and a lid.
Currently at my Back to Netball session the venue is giving me the equivalent of a lidless pint of milk which is no good to anyone and not what is paid for! (I do LOVE a Tesco analogy!)
Recently I took my Walking Netballers to a friendly game out of the area for an end of season ‘jolly’. The venue was only 45minutes up the road but the difference in experience compared to our ‘norm’ was vast!
We were greeted at reception who were ready for us and made sure we knew where everything was - changing room, toilets, water fountain and sports hall. We got in on time and the staff knew where the posts belonged (I’ve lost count of times I’ve had to move posts from volleyball / basketball lines to Netball) All the staff were polite and friendly and we had a great hours game in clean, safe surroundings with a fab atmosphere.
I learnt from that evening.
I learnt that it is not as difficult as some venues make out and it is OK to mind. I mind because I am a good coach and I want the best experience for my participants. They deserve it and so do I.
