Walking Netball leading the way

In just 10 years, the Haltemprice Walking Netball Group in the East Riding of Yorkshire has gone from tiny beginnings to a fully fledged and ever-growing club for netballers who are showing that age is no barrier to playing the game.

The group has come a long way since a meeting between Netball Development Officer (NDO) Pauline Hardy and Sarah Johnson from the Active Communities Team at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, to encourage women aged 50+ into activity. The first sessions, starting in the spring of 2015, took place on an old badminton court, with posts not at full height. A decade on, there are two separate sessions, with a combined registered number of upwards of 50 women signed up to play, with the group regularly playing in local leagues and tournaments.

“We are constantly surprised at the number of women who want to play Walking Netball and are proud to have been at the beginning of this amazing journey,” says Olivia Park, NDO for Humberside.

Inclusivity is the watchword. With recruits in the 50+ age demographic, rules are amended to create a more relaxed pace to the game and to increase safety, with blocking and face marking outlawed.

The social element and the shared support that the group offers is the glue that holds it all together, and the central reason for its continuing popularity. “We have a number of ladies within the group who have had injury, illness, or bereavement over the past 10 years, and we always encourage them to return when they feel comfortable. Social gatherings are organised throughout the year, in addition to the ladies having a cuppa together after each session.”

Volunteer Host Sandra Norrie, who has led the session for many years now, says: “We also have various other social occasions throughout the year together, including supporting local charity events and attending Netball Super League games. Some of our ladies do other activities together such as badminton, pickleball and walking.”

And that’s not all; the group also boasts a Walking Netball darts team, which has been playing together for eight years.

Much of the group’s success stems from its culture of welcoming informality. “New attendees who come along are given an introduction to the game with a refresh of the passes and rules,” explains Park. “Once they are ready to go onto the court, they are paired with another group member who coaches them until they feel comfortable to ‘go it alone’. There is no pressure to play all the time. We encourage new members to do as much as they feel comfortable with and most importantly enjoy themselves!”

The group’s ethos chimes with the principles espoused by NETBALLHer, England Netball’s female health initiative, supporting women and girls through their life stages. NETBALLHer speaks to the lived experiences of many members. “We have ladies dealing with a number of life-changing things which challenge them physically and emotionally, such as the menopause, both pre and post, and dealing with illness involving themselves and family members, plus bereavements of close family members and friends.”

This is the beauty of sports clubs. They can be places of belonging, havens from the outside world, ports in a storm. And the wonder of the Haltemprice Walking Netball Group, as with all Walking Netball groups, is that age is no obstacle.