When I think about my netball team it makes me want to cry. Not because they’re mean girls. Or because it gives me flashbacks to being shouted at to ‘PIVOT! JUST BLOODY PIVOT, GIRL’ at primary school. But because setting up my team Cool Runnings – yes, I know how good the name is – six years ago, netball is now my Wednesday night religion. And the people who play with me are my best mates.
I’m not the only one who has converted. Over 40,000 women in the UK have come back to the game in the last four years - and amongst 20-somethings it's the fastest growing sport being taken up. Yet, it’s still not taken seriously as a sport, is it?
Hopefully, that might be about to change now the Commonwealth Games has kicked off - and the England netball team are posed for serious success. They've got a new coach, the game's (finally) been televised on Sky Sports and more money has been flooding into the game recently. So does that mean it's the ideal time to shake off any PE lesson nightmares and start playing? I say yes.
Until there was netball I hated exercise. There was no excuse too base to avoid the gym (Though ‘I burnt my mouth on a jacket potato and it’s made me feel funny,’ was my favourite). But then I started netball – we just thought it would be fun – and it was proper fun so it didn’t cross my mind to bin it off. Perhaps it’s my guilt complex but the fact I’d be letting down six other people helped motivate me, too. The more I played the more I wanted/needed to get a bit fitter. A 45 minute game is mental knackering so I started going for bike rides or runs in-between. Which, judging by my previous sporting record, was pretty much unheard of.
Journalist Sally Peck recently saidnetball is making girls fat and that it’s ‘a ridiculous sport – it’s sissy basketball, designed for dainty flamingos who don’t want to break a nail.’ Well, I’m here to say UGH! For a start we get nail inspections to make sure they're short– good when you get a finger in the eye; happened the other week. For a second it’s hardcore. The England football team wouldn’t last a quarter of a netball match.
‘People always tell me they can’t believe how fast netball is – it’s not like that slow game from school,’ England Wing Attack Sasha Corbin tells The Debrief. ‘We run fast – in time trials we do 10 metres in 1.63 seconds – jump high, throw while in the air and change direction constantly. It’s an all over workout that includes cardio, interval and strength training.’
Personally I love that during netball it’s all I can think about. For 45 minutes, I don’t consider whether I need a wee/ taking on Ryanair /where my life's going. It’s all about stopping that girl with the oddly perky ponytail getting to the ball first. I’m also insanely competitive, and working together with a group of women in the pursuit of victory is the best feeling. Perhaps because I’m a freelance journalist that's particularly pertinent. Everything I do most days is for me. My life’s quite selfish. Netball isn’t. Corbin agrees: ‘You want to do well for yourself as well as your team.’
But what’s truly special is the friendships. The bond we create on the netball court transcends to the pub afterwards – because yes obviously we end up there – but way beyond. ‘I’ve made my best friends through netball,’ says Corbin. ‘I feel like it’s a family.’ Exactly! And of course there’s LOLS - we once played against a girl who screamed (in a very posh voice) at the female umpire, ‘You’re not my fucking father. You can’t tell me what to do!’ Nailed it.
There's been a major effort by England Netball to get women (although, guess what, men can and do bounce pass!) playing with their Back to Netball campaign something celebrated by Helen Grant Minister for Sports, Tourism and Equalities. ‘This campaign has encouraged many women to return to a sport they played at school,’ she tells The Debrief. ‘It gives women a chance to get active, socialise with friends and be part of a team. I am sure netball being part of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will help raise its profile further.’
I hope it will. My fellow Cool Running team member Caroline sums up why. ‘To say netball has been life-changing sounds OTT for something involving sweaty GA bibs and bounce passes but it has been.’ Netball is about female community, about exercise not being wretched, about challenging yourself, not being selfish and matching hoodies. And those things changed my life. Ok, preaching over.
Find out about netball in your local area here
Follow Helen on Twitter @bumperbownass
Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.