MENTION netball and many women will fondly say “Oh I used to love netball at school!” And sadly, that is where this beautiful game often remains – amongst our happy childhood memories of playing with friends in PE at primary and secondary school.

Despite being a solid member of my primary school netball team, I never made the secondary school team but oh, how I loved playing! I longed to be part of the team and hopeful visits to the sports hall noticeboard to see if I’d been selected left me feeling despondent and a netball failure. So, I pretty much gave up.

I played a few times later in life with work, but it wasn’t until I joined ‘Skipton Ladies Netball Fun League’ in 2022 that my love, confidence and enjoyment of the game fully returned.

Skipton Ladies Netball Fun League is a mix of abilities and ages, with players ranging from 18 years to over 60. There are seven teams in the league, weekly matches take place at Ermysted’s, and the players are lucky to be refereed and coached by Bethan and Caroline who dedicate a huge amount of their personal time to organising matches, training sessions, socials and awards evenings.

So, what has Skipton Ladies Netball done for me? Gone are the days of worrying whether I’ve made the team. Every week I play with increasing confidence, it’s a great way to keep physically and mentally fit, I’ve made new friends, and above all, it’s fun.

If you would like to find out more, email netballfun@yahoo.com

Kath Clark

Cononley