A little Monday Motivation – Online Walking Netball Workout

Each week we bring you a good news story from across the South West as part of our wedNEWSday articles.

If you fancy trying something fun and a little bit different, why not get involved with Lili John’s online walking netball workout session.

Lili is a qualified England Netball Walking Netball Host and she is an Active Devon Ambassador.

Each Monday from 6 pm until 6:40 pm, at the time she would usually run one of her weekly walking netball sessions, Lili runs an online fitness class that is suitable for all levels of netball fitness. The session covers various exercises to popular songs that most people will know and want to sing along too.

Each session consists of: breathing exercises, stretching, a dance routine, a gentle HIIT routine, balance exercises, and hand-eye coordination exercises. 

Lili is delighted to announce that a new weekend session will be available on Saturday mornings at 10am, staring this Saturday (2nd May).

Everyone is welcome and to get involved.  To attend the sessions, you will need to email Lili so that she can answer any questions you may have. Lili will then give you the zoom login meeting details.  Email Details: lilijohn1990@gmail.com

If you have a good news story that you would like to share please send your story and a picture to Laura Woodruff (southwest@englandnetball.co.uk)

Jersey U11’s disappointed not to play but keeping spirits up!

Each week we bring you a good news story from across the South West as part of our wedNEWSday articles.

Jersey under 11 netball players have been training hard throughout the winter to play their island counter parts Guernsey in the annual Interinsulars as well as flying to the UK to play in a tournament in Southampton organised by Weston Park Blades. However due to the current Coronavirus pandemic both event have been unable to take place and the girls are so disappointed.

Danny Simmon, coach of the team said ‘The girls are selected from all our primary schools across the island. We had 70 hopefuls so along with my band of fantastic selectors and coaches we eventually whittled the squad down to 18 coming from a cross section of schools.

These 18 train for 2 hours every Saturday term time with the objective to enjoy their sport and improve their skills. Our coaching team is so delighted with them but alas no matches to play due to Coronavirus restrictions’.

‘We usually travel to Southampton for the day which is big financial undertaking, so the girls and parents do some fundraising to support each other, mainly by helping in supermarkets with bag packing. Big effort all round by everyone. However it is great to hear that Blue Islands have very kindly carried our flight deposits over for a year so hopefully we can use that in May 2021’

The girls have been staying in contact with each other and keeping up their netball skills. Thank you to Danny for sending this over and the great video.

If you have a good news story that you would like to share please send your story and a picture to Laura Woodruff (southwest@englandnetball.co.uk)

Titans Talk to Team…

Each week we bring you a good news story from across the South West as part of our wedNEWSday articles.

We caught up with Titans Netball Club in North Devon about how they have been keeping in contact with their members and keeping fit ready to get back on court.

Lorraine Beel said ‘We have been regularly keeping in contact with our Senior & Junior Members. Sending weekly emails to all members to check in with them, and also give them fun challenges to do.

We produced a passing challenge video as last weeks tasks, we have previously had a shooting challenge for all our members to have a go at. We are doing two live fitness sessions a week on our Titans facebook page.  This has been very popular, and we are also running a draw for all members that post a photo of them participating each time.

Our Coaches have a Zoom meeting every week, just to check in with everyone and keep connected. We work together

Our Captains in our senior section have also been making regular contact with their team members to make sure that everyone is well. We have had several members take part in the Coaching and Officiating (England Netball Officiating Net-Fix) opportunities online too ‘

Keep up the great work and we can’t wait to see what else you do over social media!

If you have a good news story that you would like to share please send your story and a picture to Laura Woodruff (southwest@englandnetball.co.uk)

As you are all aware during this unprecedented times England Netball worked with regions to outline the final outcomes of the Netball South West Regional League results for 2019/2020. We are disappointed that the season has not come to full fruition, but in these times your health and safety is our first priority.

England Netball have now issued guidance to assist regional, county and other registered leagues to enable them to conclude their seasons.

With only one scheduled league fixture to play, plus some postponed matches, most of our significant league placings were already determined as of the netball lockdown on 15 March. The final league tables have been finalised by applying each team’s average points factor to the number of matches each should have played. We feel that this is the fairest way of determining the final positions.

Regional League 1

Regional League 2

Regional League 3 North

Regional League 3 South

Thanks must go to all teams including players, coaches, umpires and volunteers, with a special congratulations to the winners and runners up of each league, where we will aim to get trophies for the winners and runners-up of each division to you in due course. A big thank you to the Competition and Events Working Group who have worked tirelessly this season.

We look forward to seeing what next season has in store!

Top tips to stay Netball fit & Connected

Each week we bring you a good news story from across the South West as part of our wedNEWSday articles.

Here in the South West, the Back to Netball scene in Exeter are keeping connected through facebook and whatsapp groups with the help of their coach Sarah Bishton. From daily netball challenges, living room HIT and strength and conditioning exercises to outdoor technical shooting practices, speed and agility ball circuits. Sarah has even invited all her netball family including anyone who has a love for netball on her facebook friends list to the three teams she coaches for Exeter Netball club who all compete in the Local District league. Sarah has also emailed resources and content to her the athletes of the Exeter College Netball Academy for her dual role as a Netball coach and lecturer in Sport at Exeter College. 

During these unprecedented times, Sarah’s routine consisting of Netball coaching every evening sure has changed. We caught up with Sarah and asked how she has adapted to life at home and to tell us a bit more about how she is helping the netball community stay active during isolation.

‘Well like many netball coaches, players, umpires, parents, teachers, I am slightly out of sorts not being able to see familiar faces each week and to not be able to provide physical activity opportunities to students and the local community. After England Netball announced the immediate cancelation of any netball activity my heart sank. One, because of the seriousness and uncertainty surrounding the impact this disease may bring on society and the economy we know. Two, that netballers won’t be receiving the health and wellbeing benefits this sport provides. 

As a result, I started planning a variety of netball related exercises with household equipment (including tins and rolled up socks!) and some other activities for those lucky enough to have equipment such as netballs and posts at home. I saw this as an opportunity to keep my netball family connected and most importantly give them opportunities to still get their netball fix despite the circumstances. I have had a really positive response and interaction from this including the sharing of photographs and videos showcasing how they are getting active to help motivate each other.
     It is so important to keep active especially because we are spending more and more time staying at home. Not just for our physical health but for our mental well-being. Netball is a fantastic social sport that provides a sense of belonging and a chance to meet new people, interact and build new and long-lasting friendships. We are in this together and it is important that the netball family support, motivate and encourage each other by keeping connected, fit and healthy during uncertain times. Stand by the netball saying ‘here if you need’.

Here are some top tips I have shared with my netball community:

1) Set aside an hour dedicated to your training as you normally would

2)If you are part of a netball team/ friends who also love netball- stay connected using the wonders of technology! If you had a regular training date and time or weekly match use this time to meet up for a video call! Why not hold your own weekly team training and use the many netball inspired work outs out there and motivate each other! 

3) If you have an injury and your physio gave you that rehabilitation programme you should have done, well this is a great time to do it! 

4) Time for reflection- write your strengths and weaknesses. Find three for each and write down how you can improve your weaknesses. You may find it useful to use SMART goal settings here to ensure you can measure your improvements.”

If you have a good news story that you would like to share please send your story and a picture to Laura Woodruff (southwest@englandnetball.co.uk)

As you are all aware during this unprecedented times England Netball worked with regions to outline the final outcomes of the Netball South West Junior Regional League results for 2019/2020. We are disappointed that the season has not come to full fruition, but in these times your health and safety is our first priority.

England Netball have now issued guidance to assist regional, county and other registered leagues to enable them to conclude their seasons.

The final league tables have been finalised by applying each team’s average points factor to the number of matches each should have played. We feel that this is the fairest way of determining the final positions.

Division 1 leagues were able to complete all fixtures, however, Division 2 were not quite so clear.

The final outcomes for all junior leagues can be seen in the table below and the Division 2 workings can be seen in the spreadsheet attached. (Thank you Les Thomas for your work on this)

Regional League Final Positions 2019 – 2020

U16 RL Division 1

U16 RL Division 2 North 1

U16 RL Division 2 North 2

U16 RL Division 2 South

U14 RL Division 1

U14 RL Division 2 North

U14 RL Division 2 South

Thanks must go to all teams including players, coaches and volunteers, with a special congratulations to the winners and runners up of each league, who will be presented with trophies and medals at a later date (more details to follow). A big thank you goes to Debbie Ashworth for her tireless work throughout the season, in both the provision of umpires, as well as the umpire mentoring programme which has been hugely beneficial to all involved.

We look forward to seeing what next season has in store!

Skybound sore on Social Media

Each week we bring you a good news story from across the South West as part of our wedNEWSday articles.

The second week of lockdown has now commenced nationally and Bristol based Netball Club, Skybound has been keeping their members entertained by setting daily challenges on social media.

Their daily challenges include HIIT sessions to get everyone involved. All the members have been doing these challenges in their own time and sharing them on social media to keep active. The sessions have seen all members getting their families involved, especially Husbands & boyfriends, who have now been called #HABS in the club.  

The club has been very active on social media, uploading their daily goals, sharing how members are getting on and hosting their first quiz night which is going to take place every Tuesday via zoom. The quiz last night consisted of ‘The Netball Round’ 23 questions about netball in general and the club. Next week’s quiz is going to be on general knowledge and we are looking forward to seeing how it goes!

The club are now keen to keeping interacting with each club member and looking what else they can roll out on social media, we will be keeping our eyes peeled and keep up the great work!

If you have a good news story that you would like to share please send your story and a picture to Laura Woodruff (southwest@englandnetball.co.uk)