Cosmopolitan Roses bloom in Pakistan

In late June, a group of young British Pakistani women had the trip of a lifetime when, with help from a bursary from their region, Netball South, they took part in a prestigious netball tournament in Pakistan – and won!

The Cosmopolitan Roses, who are based in Maidenhead, were invited to take part in the Pakistan FAST5 Women’s National Championships in Islamabad and proved such a success that players from the team have been asked to help form the new Pakistan national side.

The Cosmopolitan Roses Netball Academy was co-founded by Sadia Hussain last year with the aim of making the game more accessible and inclusive for British Asians.

“Going through performance netball, like regional and county, I didn’t see representation of Asian girls,” says Sadia. “I met a like-minded netballer and we decided to form an academy that would look into the underrepresentation of Asian and Muslim girls and tackle some of the barriers. What was it that prevented these girls from playing netball?”

The academy visited mosques and connected with British Asian communities in the UK and Scotland to build relationships and try to answer that pressing question.

“Socioeconomic factors are a big barrier,” says Sadia. “Also the education side of things – you have to know about how to get into trials, where to go, what to do. And often in these communities there’s a real push towards academia, to become a doctor or an engineer, and so the benefits of sports aren’t appreciated.”

All of which made the Cosmopolitan Roses’ visit to Pakistan, and subsequent triumph, particularly rewarding.

The chance to take part in the competition came about when Haroona Zaman, who co-founded the academy, became Vice Chair of the Pakistan Netball Association. Eight girls of Pakistani heritage were thrown in at the deep end, taking part in a high-performance competition in a country most of them had never visited. Sadia describes the trip as “a culture shock, but a positive one”.

Haleema, 16, was one of the eight Cosmopolitan Roses competing in Pakistan and says she enjoyed the experience of not being “the odd one out”. “It’s actually really empowering because when we play netball here, we don’t really experience that. So sometimes you can feel a little bit alone. But when you’re seeing that there’s so many other people who had their own stories and had climbed up to the level that they’re at now, it just felt really good.”

BELOW: The Cosmopoitan Roses

Haleema adds that the trip was an eye-opening cultural experience which “helped us to learn a lot about where we come from”, and the Cosmopolitan Roses immediately looked at home on the court as they pulled off an incredible win.

“Playing against professionals and in front of a big crowd can add to the pressure, but I think we all managed really well. Everyone was just so supportive and we all played hard for each other.”

Members of the victorious team will be part of the national squad going forward and are set to compete in the Asian Championships. For Sadia, it vindicates her strongly held belief that netball “is a game for everyone”. “It just brings so much to your life,” she says. “It is more than just a game on a court.”

After her unforgettable experience in Pakistan, Haleema is in full agreement. “Netball helps me to relax after I come back from school or if I’ve had a hard day. If you go to netball, it helps take those worries away and ease your anxieties. It also gives you a family and sisterhood.”