Over the last week, people have been using social media as a tool to get their netball fix.
The Netball Family have found innovative ways to stay connected during this time through shooting challenges, home workout tips and sharing positive stories online.
We have pulled together the best bits shared on social media from the last seven days.
National School Sport Week at Home
National School Sport Week saw children, young people and families from up and down the country getting involved in their favourite sports.
🏀 Amazing video from Formby NC 🙌 a member of their mini’s taking part in today’s @EnglandNetball Bee together virtual Netball session #NSSW #6yearsold #netballlove ❤️ pic.twitter.com/tHrI6HW4qD
— @NetballinMerseyside (@merseyside_ndo) June 22, 2020
While they may have been doing it from home this year, one thing remains the same as every other year – the benefits that getting involved in school sports can bring.
What a bee-rilliant first day of our live mass participation events! 🐝🙌
⚡️ “Netball buzz around National School Sport Week”#NSSWtogether | @YouthSportTrust https://t.co/TM2OTUekDd
— England Netball (at 🏡) (@EnglandNetball) June 22, 2020
The Vitality Roses highlighted how school sport helped them to nurture a love of netball and also paid tribute to the teachers who have influenced their netball careers.
Blended Netball is here
National School Sport Week saw the launch of Blended Netball.
A strand of the ParaNetball strategy, Blended Netball is a new secondary school peer to peer offer, designed for mainstream girls to deliver netball to girls with special educational needs, allowing them to benefit by gaining important life skills such as leadership, communication and empathy.
Blended Netball is only one piece of the ParaNetball puzzle! 🧩 ✍ To hear more about our three-year disability strategy, sign up for the latest news at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FGDX2WS
Posted by England Netball on Thursday, June 25, 2020
You can sign up here to find out more information.
“I’ve always felt that I’ve been celebrated for who I am”
Every year, the month of June marks Pride Month.
Vitality Rose and Loughborough Lightning captain Nat Panagarry joined Sky Netball’s Off The Court and discussed her experience as an LGBT+ athlete in netball.
🗣️ "They definitely embraced me, not just the players and the staff, but all of the fans as well. I've never not felt like I could be who I am."
Nat Panagarry joined Off The Court and shared her experience as an LGBT+ athlete in #PrideMonth
— Sky Sports Netball (@SkyNetball) June 22, 2020
Speaking on the show, she said: “I’ve always felt that I’ve been celebrated for who I am and that’s how everyone should be.
“We’ve all got differences, we’re all unique and that should be something that we want to bring to the Netball Family and to the netball court.
“Netball, I think, is one of the most diverse [sports]. I’m always thankful for the netball community, Loughborough Lightning and the Vitality Roses for that.”
You can read the full interview and watch the whole episode here.
Roadmap for the return of community netball
As you will have seen, the country is starting to see some lockdown measures relaxed and many businesses reopening, giving us some glimmer of normality resuming.
With this in mind, we are continuing to work closely with the Government as well as other Governing Bodies and Sport England to plan and prepare for sport’s safe return.
Our likely roadmap for the return of community netball has been developed with anticipated changes to social distancing measures in mind and sees netball return in line with social distance permissions granted to the general public.
ℹ️ Here's our anticipated roadmap for the return of community netball.
This is subject to change and will be updated in line with Government advice 📑
At each stage, we'll issue guidance to member regions, counties, clubs and registered leagues: https://t.co/O4A2GRMidy pic.twitter.com/irVT8sW62m
— England Netball (at 🏡) (@EnglandNetball) June 27, 2020
We are currently in stage 2 of the fitness phase, with small groups of 6 allowed to meet in quiet areas for netball fitness-based activity. Although it may feel like we are still quite a distance away from full competitive netball, we anticipate a move to stage 3 shortly and we are preparing for the possibility that multiple stages might be unlocked at the same time.
The most up to date guidance and FAQs can be found on the website here.
England Netball and British Army partnership celebrated
To recognise the partnership between England Netball and the British Army on Armed Forces Day, a selection of specially created content was produced.
Staff Sergeant Kirsty Price ran a 15-minute workout, including certain exercises which correlate to both the Army and netball, with Vitality Roses Eleanor Cardwell, Yasmin Parsons and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis.
Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby spoke to Colonel Andrea Zanchi (Chair of Army Netball) and Sergeant Nordia Masters (Army Netball captain) on mentality, motivation and leadership in both the Army and netball.
You can read more about the proud partnership here.
Make sure to return next week to see a comprehensive round-up of the most exciting netball content from the last week!
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