The document provides an overview of netball in Swindon, England at the grassroots and elite levels. It discusses [1] how schools and clubs introduce netball to children and provide pathways for talented youth, [2] the leagues and competitions available from youth to elite adult levels, and [3] the organizations that govern and support netball in the region like England Netball and Swindon District Netball Association. It also briefly touches on topics like male/female netball, disabled netball, funding sources, and the elite pathways available for talented players.

1. Exemplar Material – Candidate B

2. Introduction
To develop a more detailed knowledge and understanding of the provision of
netball, I have decided to examine the steps that are taken from my local
region of Swindon. In 1995, the game was registered as an official
commonwealth sport, which resulted in the sports rise in status, funding and
therefore participation amongst grass roots level. Consequently, England
Netball achieved high standards, with the National team being amongst the
world’s top ranked. There are currently 56.278 players affiliated to England
Netball.
Grass Roots
Schools are instrumental when it comes to introducing children to new sports.
In many primary schools, First Step netball, and Hi-5 netball are played to
teach the children the basics of netball. All 12 secondary schools in Swindon
have netball in their curriculum and the majority of primary schools. This is
being developed through the School Sports Partnership (SSP) which is based
at St.Lukes School. This partnership funds and facilitates coaches and sports
leaders to go into primary schools to develop the game. Alex Leonard has
recently been appointed netball development officer and this will again
increase the range of opportunities. There are a range of school clubs which
give them the opportunity to take part in school matches and local
tournaments. Bradon Forest consistently win the area schools tournament
mainly due to the number of players who also attend Lawn Netball Club and
are part of the satellite Academy. Pathways have been developed with local
clubs and there are a number of clubs which have junior sections (See
Appendix 1) and these are run by volunteers who gain coaching qualifications.
This can lead to a club obtaining the CAPS award which will allow more
funding through the club to help with coaching and umpiring costs.
There are fees for all players wishing to be part of a netball club. All matches
are played at Dorcan Leisure Centre where a purpose built netball dome
opened in August 2007. The top clubs currently are Lawn and Pinehurst, both
of which have players in the regional and sub-regional teams.
The New College in Swindon now offers an AS and an A2 at their Netball
Academy, allowing a additional pathway for talented players to continue with
their education whilst playing at a high standard.
National Governing Body
The National Governing Body for netball in England, is ‘England Netball’,
http://www.englandnetball.co.uk. A governing body is the single
establishment founded to enforce the sports rules, promote and develop the
sport, organise all tournaments and get involved with participation in all areas.
Exemplar Material – Candidate B

3. Along with every National Governing Body, England Netball has aims and
goals set in place, in order to acheive maximum success. Swindon is part of
Wiltshire Netball but we are a unitary authority. The regional body ensures
that directives from England Netball are enforced and developed in the region,
including affiliation of all players and umpires. Swindon District Netball
Association (SDNA) is run by a committee, elected at the AGM each year.
(www.swindon-netball.co.uk/)
Structure of Competition
The introduction of the national Superleague competition has without doubt
given netball a higher profile. Hucclecote (Gloucestershire) is the closest
National League team and this is approxiamately 30 miles away. There is also
Team Bath which is slightly further away but is the link premiership club to the
Siwndon Satellite Academy. The current number of affiliated players in
Swindon is
The main season runs from September to May and there are also a number of
tournaments in the summer months. The junior leagues (U11, U12, U13, U14
and U16’s) matches are played on a Sunday and the Womens League is
played on a Saturday with 4 divisions and a total of 54 teams from 18 clubs.
There are also Over 35, Corporate, Regional (RL1/RL2) and Summer
Legaues. Provision for all levels of ability is high and allows easily for
progression through talent identification to premiership teams, leading to
university scholarships (Bath and Gloucester) and selection to the England
Camps.
A brand new dome with indoor courts is
close to opening after four years of planning
and work, and at a cost of £800,000. Its on
the site of the Dorcan sports centre in
Swindon and is the first of its kind in the
entire country.
In the dome are two courts along with
changing facilities and a clubhouse.
New all-weather courts have also been built
outside and the existing courts have been
improved as well.
The project was funded by Sport England,
Swindon Borough Council and England
Netball, the sport's governing body in the
Funding and Sponsorship UK.
All players have to affiliate to england netball to be able to play. A
contribution of this fee is redirected to both county and regional associations
so that they can undertake their role. Affiliation is currently £31.50 for a senior
and £18.50 for a junior. Players also pay club fees to cover the cost of facility
hire and entry into competitions. Schools must also affiliate each team at a
Exemplar Material – Candidate B

4. cost of £12.00. Clubs can access addtional funding via the lottery and Awards
for all Bids to the value of £500 - £5000, depending on the project. The netball
Super League is sponsored by the Co-operative bank but there is no other
direct sponsorship to netball as it doesn’t receive much media coverage
although NSL matches are now being broadcast on Sky Sports.
Male/Female Netball
Netball in the main is played by females although males are not precluded.
There is a mixed netball league at Dorcan on a Thursday evening which does
include some ‘male only’ teams. This is purely recreational and is not
affiliated. Boys are able to play for their school teams up to the age of 11 and
this is fairly common in primary schools. It is a requirement in the youth
games and Hi-5 teams to have at least 2 boys in the team.
Swindon also boasts 3 male umpires and 4 coaches, one of which assists
with talent identification.
Disabled Netball
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 was introduced to prevent the
discrimination disabled people suffer when playing sport. Sports Coach UK
and England Netball offer courses to anyone wishing to teach disabled
netballers. In Swindon, there are only a few opportunities for disabled
netballers, yet the disabled development officer from the lifestyle unit is
currently working with the special school sports college (St. Lukes) to develop
more opportunities.
Critical analysis
Swindon netball is very well structured and there are opportunties at every
level. However, considering the number of teams and clubs there is a lack of
high quality coaches, with there being only two level 2 coaches in the
borough. This must be considered to be an area for development to ensure
the progression of young talented players. Equally the provision for the
disabled is not adequate. It would be good to think that the sport could attract
more funding but in the current economic climate it is unlikely that local
businesses will invest in a sport unless there is a lucrative outcome!
Total word count: 1037
Bibliography.
Websites used for research.
www.englandnetball.co.uk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/netball/default.stm
www.swindon-netball.co.uk/
www.netballsouthwest.co.uk/
www.teambath.com/
www.englandnetball.co.uk/National_Leagues/Superleague
Exemplar Material – Candidate B

5. Appendix 1
These are the netball teams that currently advertise of the Swindon Borough Council website.
Those marked in blue have junior sections as do Fairford. Girls can play in the senior leagues
from the age of 14 years old if they are deemed talented enough. All full list of clubs is available
on www.swindon-netball.co.uk/
Leisure and Sport
Netball Clubs in and around Swindon
Club Name Training Venue Contact Telephone
Number
Croft Netball Croft Sports Centre Jill Aldridge 01793 522610
Club
Highworth Highworth Rec. Ruth Barnfield 01793 764386
Juniors
Lawn Netball Dorcan Recreation Eileen Witts / 01793 529787 /
Club Centre Denise Sell 920057
Moredon St Josephs College Jenny Carter 01793 724044
Netball Club
Monday 7:00 -
9:00
Pinehurst Swindon Academy Steve Richmond 01793 630693
Netball Club
Raychem Crosslink Centre Chris Roberts 01793 824712
Netball Club
Ferndale Greendown School Joy Blake 01793 872237
Netball Club Mondays 7.30pm -
9.00pm
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6. Appendix 2
Netball courses at New College Swindon,
Swindon
Average rating for New College Swindon is
Show all courses | reviews at New College Swindon
Netball Academy AS Level
Queens Drive | SN3 1AH
Part time day | 1 year | 07-SEP-09
prospectus| website| email| phone number
Netball Academy GCE A2 Level
Queens Drive | SN3 1AH
Part time day | 2 years | 07-SEP-09
prospectus| website| email| phone number
Exemplar Material – Candidate B

7. Appendix 3
Swindon’s First Corporate Netball League Set For Shooting
Success
20.11.2008
Playing netball is a serious business in Swindon so it’s no surprise that companies are
clamouring to sign up for the Borough’s first-ever Corporate League for the sport.
Swindon Borough Council is supporting the initiative, which aims to attract new players and
build relationships between companies across the Borough. Nearly a dozen companies and
organisations have already signed up, including Zurich, Nationwide, Arval, Halcrow and
Swindon Borough Council.
Samantha Parker, who works in sales promotion at Zurich, thinks the new league is a great
idea. She said: “This is fantastic news. The league will be a brilliant way to meet new players
and also mix with different companies.”
Samantha has been playing the position of goal shooter since she was 10. Now 38, the busy
mother-of-one, is still as enthusiastic about the game, which she practises at least twice a
week.
She said: “I just love it. There is a huge netball following in Swindon and it’s also very popular
at Zurich. I’m certainly not the oldest member of our squad. There are 16 of us and it’s great
fun, as well as a brilliant way to stay fit. We’re a friendly bunch, but we always play to win.”
The Zurich squad performed well in this year’s Challenge Swindon, Festival of Sport event and
hope the corporate league will give them a chance to prepare for the next community sports
extravaganza in June, 2009.
She said: “We really enjoyed the event and did pretty well but we’re always keen to improve
and raise our game.”
The Swindon Corporate Netball league will meet at the Dorcan Dome, in St Paul’s Drive,
Swindon, which boasts state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor netball courts, on Tuesdays from
6pm until 7pm. It is open to all companies and organisations in the Borough. For more
information, send an email to aleonard@swindon.gov.uk or call: 01793 533763.
Cllr Justin Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Recreation said: “This is a
fantastic networking opportunity – in more ways than one. The netball facilities at the Dorcan
Dome are second to none and I am delighted that more and more players, both experienced
and those new to the sport, are making the most of them. I’m sure Swindon’s new Corporate
Netball League will be hugely popular and I wish all participants every success.”
Appendix 4
Exemplar Material – Candidate B

8. Netball South West Talented Player Pathway
This is the pathway which I have been following since the age of 12. I
moved to the County Academy at 14 years old and I am now at the Talent
Performance Centre which is based at Bath University. I hope to be
playing first team netball for Team Bath during A2 and then move up to
England U21’s!
Exemplar Material – Candidate B