Image courtesy of Worcester County Netball Association
England Netball and the Netball Family as a whole has been saddened to learn of the passing of Sheila Perks MBE aged 91.
An England Netball Honorary Life Member, Sheila had been instrumental in helping many a player fall in love with the game over more than 65 years, and was a familiar face at all levels of the game from grassroots to club, county and national team level. A founding member of Rylands Netball Club, Sheila devoted many years of her life to establish a thriving netball community in the Midlands, an incredible feat acknowledged in 2009 when Sheila received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her outstanding contribution.
To add to a long list of accolades, Sheila received ‘The Hall of Fame Award’ from then President of England Netball Janet Wrighton, MBE back in 2014 which closely followed a UK Coaching (formerly Sports Coach UK) Lifetime Achievement award in 2013.
In 2009 Sheila was nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero Award, a sure testament to the many people she helped across a life of service to netball. It was yet another sign of her popularity, having previously been presented The Muriel McNally trophy, an annual award in recognition of outstanding contribution to netball at a local level, back in 1989.
An incredible friend and mentor to all the players she was involved with, Sheila spent many years coaching at Rylands Netball Club, in the Midlands and until recently was heavily involved with the Worcestershire U12 County Academy.
Our deepest condolences are with her many friends in the game and her family.
