It’s been near impossible to avoid the buzz surrounding England Netball over the past year and a half following their historic win over Australia in a crucial final second goal at the Commonwealth games final in April, 2018 (watch it on youtube if you haven’t seen it already!). This moment led, arguably, to the only all-female sport at the Commonwealth games stealing the show and brought those who had never watched the sport and those who are wholly committed to it’s every development together in shock and awe.
Besides the onslaught of blubbering tears this caused us netball fans, Helen Housby’s winning shot and the effort of Tracey Neville’s Roses had an amazing effect on participation throughout the country. 6 months on from the Commonwealth Games and 130,700 more women had started to play or were playing more netball – no doubt that number has increased dramatically since then.
Over the past few years the increased televisation of women’s sports has forced a wider audience to pay attention to these athletes, giving them the platform they deserve and satisfying the already existing audiences with riveting performances. Alongside the Roses win we saw the nation come together this year to support the Lionesses progress in the football world cup. Moments like these are integral in highlighting the growth and therefore importance of female sports, showing the hard work of the athletes and how they can be just as gripping and emotionally involving as their male counterparts.
Sport aims to give opportunities to people indiscriminately. Opportunities that allow them to grow and develop in ways that go beyond the netball court, football pitch etc. For women these opportunities are hugely valuable and we believe they should be pursued to their fullest extent. Sport allows women to surround themselves with motivated and inspiring peers, take leadership roles, maintain a healthy relationship with nutrition and exercise and develop both physically and mentally.
The University of Bristol Netball Club is the largest all female group at Bristol Uni and we pride ourselves on the supportive environment that we provide for all of our members to obtain the above benefits. We cater for all abilities and support players’ progress on and off the court. From the first team to the seventh team and our social and development squads, there is a strong sense of community and companionship at the club. We believe that alongside all of the opportunities provided by sports in general, this is one of the most rewarding aspects of the club meaning players leave UBNC with friends for life.
If you too are inspired by the Roses to start playing netball or just want to be a part of the UBNC family, have a look at our website for more info and feel free to contact us via this form https://www.ubnc.co.uk/contact-us.html or come and see us at Freshers Fair on the 27th September! Also take a look at our instagram @bristol_netball for all kinds of updates!
We would like to thank the Ultimate team for contributing to our Women in Sport Week.