On this day one year ago, the Vitality Roses won the Commonwealth Games and wrote their names into the nation’s sporting history.
Having reached their first major final, they stunned home favourites Australia to claim gold with a last-gasp goal from Helen Housby securing a sensational 52-51 win.
The historic and dramatic moment inspired 130,700 women to start playing netball or playing more netball within the six months after the final.
However, the impact has been much more widespread with people of all ages and abilities taking up and continuing to take up a variety of roles in our fantastic sport.
Here Sarah shares her coaching story…
My own love of netball began when I was a 10-year-old primary school pupil and the coach passed on her passion for the sport for which I will always be thankful.
Once I had left education I didn’t play for roughly 10 years and it was when I visited Australia in 2009 that my need to be back on court motivated me to join my local club and I have never looked back.
Watching England win the Commonwealth gold in 2018, seeing how Tracey Neville motivated her team to this phenomenal victory and how this great game can build friendships which will remain forever helped me to realise I wanted to give something back to a sport which has given me so much.
Working within a local primary school and encouraged by the PE coach, I decided to do my Level 1 coaching course in January/February 2019. The course was a great experience and I met some fantastic people who I have kept in touch with since and we keep each other posted on our ‘coaching journeys’.
Since completing my course, I am now able to assist the running of the school’s netball club and when you see the children getting such enjoyment out of a sport it really does make you thankful that you attended the coaching course.
It was an amazing feeling letting my family and friends know I had become a qualified ‘Level 1’ coach and now I am looking to the future and hope to complete my Level 2.
Interested in coaching? Find details of all our current courses here.
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