The 2022 Commonwealth Games open in Birmingham next month, and the netball community is keen to raise the profile of the sport locally and nationally. 12 Birmingham schools recently participated in an all-day netball event, which was organised by the Birmingham Netball Association (BNA).
Birmingham Live reports that Hannah Reid, Chair of the BNA, helped to organise the event. Netball is one of the few sports that is included in the Commonwealth Games, but is not an Olympic Sport. Now, many players, coaches, and leaders of the sport are hoping 2022 is the year to change this, and put netball firmly in sight of the Olympics.
Hannah said: “If we can get more countries involved into playing the sport of netball, that will certainly help the cause for putting it into the Olympics. There’s a big push on men’s netball. England Netball have just partnered with EMMNA (England Men’s and Mixed Netball Association). We’ve got some boys playing here today.”
She added: “Netball is no longer just a female sport, it very much involves boys and men. I think if we can get netball into the Olympics then more countries can get involved playing the sport.”
Star netball coach Tracey Neville has also spoken out about the issue. She said there should be no more excuses holding back netball, and is determined for the Roses to reach the Commonwealth final. They previously won their first title in 2018 and are gunning for a repeat performance this year.
Neville has had a hugely successful career as a player, coach and manager. She was Performance Director at Manchester Thunder when they won 22 games straight to take the Vitality Netball Superleague title.
She spoke optimistically about the huge crowds that netball has been attracting in recent months, and is determined to repeat the success at the Commonwealth Games.