Netball is most definitely on the rise, we have so more much media interest and sponsors like Nike on board. I never thought i’d see it to tell you the truth.
I remember the bottles of Evian that my Mum used to bring home from Intercounties and the, now embarrassing, but very accepted in the 90s, Sun newspaper sponsorship of a County team ( I think!?!) who appeared in the paper in their netball knickers complete with Sun logo! Thank goodness we’ve evolved! 😉
I’m ecstatic for my two daughters aged 6 & 1, as they will grow up in a time where we have strong female role models, not just in netball, or even sport but in society in general.
I couldn’t be more proud that my eldest will soon (hopefully) be discussing the merits of Helen Housby at Goal Attack, like she’s been going on about Lioness Lucy Bronze recently!
I went to support her in a sports-themed sponsored walk a couple of weeks ago and was amazed (pleasantly so) that there were nearly as many ‘Roses’ costumes as there were Harry Kane’s!
It’s absolutely stonking that at a time where we have a national epidemic of obesity, Sport England tell us drop out rates of female teenagers from sport is at a high, female empowerment is all the buzz and talking about mental health is less of a taboo, our young girls and boys will be seeing and hearing from netball players, coaches, umpires, broadcasters and volunteers. I look forward to them being inspired to reach for the stars and start breaking down those glass ceilings!
I’ve always been a big advocate of netball being life changing. It’s not an underestimate to predict this World Cup will have an impact that will be far reaching and actually, unmeasurable.
The Roses, Diamonds, Silver Ferns, Spar Proteus and Sunshine Girls don’t just inspire the youth though!
I’ve seen first hand the impact programmes such as Back to Netball and Walking Netball has had: my Walking Netballers started as part of the national pilot 3 years ago and now regularly travel to Superleague events, persuade the local pub landlord to switch the TV to netball on Monday nights and are waiting, with anticipation, for their World Cup merchandise.
Social media obviously plays its part and it definitely makes my day when a Netball ‘great’ retweets or takes time to message me! Cat Tuiviti retweeting and offering support during a pretty tough time during ACL rehab pushed me to do an extra set of reps and get up the next day to do it all over again! (No one knows ACL rehab like those who have done it themselves!)
At the Glasgow Commonwealth Games I was thrilled to attend the England Supporter Club reception where I had a few too many wines and am embarrassed to say called Maggie Jackson, Collette, even though i’ve met them both on several occasions! Mortified was not the word when I woke the next morning!
I did get quite a few selfies with players, past & present, and my all time favourite netball Coach Anna Stembridge. I wasn’t even slightly embarrassed, I’m sure the wine helped, but also there were no children at the reception so it wasn’t quite as frowned upon! (Or I didn’t perceive it to be quite so frowned upon!)
I guess when you have been supporting and involved in Netball for as long as I have (I’m 38 now and can’t remember a time Netball was not in my life!) the Roses players are rock stars!
So, having spent a lot of money on tickets, transport & hotels for Liverpool I am determined to enjoy
myself!
That means a special mission to get my ‘Leap’ booked signed by Geva Mentor, as many selfies with Roses players as possible and even a few with players from other nations!
Now, I know Sharni Layton is part of the broadcast team I will be staking her out too!
I make no apologies for fan girling netball superstars at the age of 38. If I could have done it when I
was 10 I would have done!
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