Net gain

Netball in the Community coaching team Debbie Chapman (left) and Rachael Henry. Pic at The Oldham Academy North.

NETBALL by BEN REESE

NETBALL In The Community are providing an invaluable service to young people across the borough.

In light of threats to Oldham Council-run youth services, increased participation in netball highlights the need for well-run community sports groups.

Netball in the Community (NITC) run five weekly pay-and-play sessions for five-13 year olds, organise two primary school high five leagues and a further six after-school and weekend competitions.

Rachel Henry, an Oldham Netball Club Premier League player and co-founder of NITC says the group is going from strength-to-strength, with 35 attending training sessions, from a starting point of a dozen.

Membership figures for NITC’s weekly pay-and-play sessions have almost quadrupled since September, 2013.

Then the sessions had 58 registered members, figures for this month show 210, while the number of pay-and-play league teams have increased from 12 to 28 over the same time period.

Henry sees the community leagues and the teams within it, as a perfect pathway into clubs.

She said: “We have five community teams for those who aren’t at clubs yet.

“We like to think that by the time that they go to clubs we have given them a big head-start with the skills they need."

Acknowledging the need to facilitate coaching in schools, NITC offer to support PE lessons and teach staff.

This co-operative system is something that Henry is looking to expand.

“Our aim is to franchise it out to other boroughs, to sell our product,” she said. “With the schools’ league format, we could package it up and pass it on.”

A further development aim for Henry is to attract netballers from all areas of the borough’s community.

She cited the success of Westwood Primary School’s high five team in last year's school leagues.

No strangers to innovation, Henry is intending to run a new format of netball for pupils moving from Years Six to Seven.

At present, pupils play five-a-side at primary level and seven-a-side at secondary school. NITC’s are aiming to create a seven-player team game in which players rotate positions.

Henry said: “Girls from different primary schools play the seven-a-side games on Wednesday nights.

“This gives an opportunity for PE teachers to watch their new intake and see what their teams are going to be like in the future."

Henry hopes these sessions will get under way before the start of the New Year.

For more information, call Henry 07971 348228.