When I first attempted finding a sport for each letter of the alphabet, the suggestion that came over and over was for the letter N: Netball, obviously!
I'd always smile and nod, as if I knew precisely what they meant by "Netball" - as someone who'd grown up in a Non-Commonwealth country, I had never heard of it.
I did heed the advice and look into playing Netball; unfortunately, like with other popular team sports that I had enquired about, the answer I received back was that I would be welcome to observe only. And whilst I am very good at watching other people playing sports, that would have defeated the object.
Nordic skiing being the only other "N" sport I could come up with, I started to think that "N" might just be the letter that I would not get to cover...
That was until Morgan casually mentioned that she plays Netball...and even better: WALKING NETBALL! Delighted about the invitation, I of course agreed immediately and already loved everything about this sport before I even turned up on the court.
(Things I immediately loved about Walking Netball: NO RUNNING).
So here is what I thought would happen: We would mainly be standing around, occasionally walk around a bit and sometimes pass a ball. And I would be very excellent at all these steps.
What actually happened was this: THEY WALK REALLY REALLY FAST! I couldn't keep up.
But let me start from the beginning: Seen as this would be the first time meeting a new group of people for over a year due to COVID, I felt incredibly nervous. Luckily, Morgan was there, and it reminded me once again how much easier it is to try something new when you're not on your own. If you don't have a friend who drags you along to sporty things, but you'd like to give something a go, do give me a shout. I've been making other people look good at sports since 1983.
My nerves were completely unnecessary: Everyone was warm and welcoming - and clearly rearing to go.
The session started with a warm up which involved walking, stretching, passing and catching. We also had to practice communicating with each other, which meant that I got to learn everyone's names very quickly and felt part of the team straight away. There wasn't really much chance of hiding in the back row I'm afraid.
After a brief drill which involved knowing where your right is (trust me, it's not as easy as it sounds - not when you have to walk AND think!) we started the game.
So here is one key thing I learnt about Netball: There are many, many rules. And I probably broke most of them (except the one about no running. I'm good at that). You are only allowed in certain parts of the court, depending on the position you play. You're not allowed to jump, have to keep 4 ft (in times of COVID) distance from the person you're marking and I'm sure there was something about pivoting when holding the ball...
What really stood out to me though was the way everyone celebrated and applauded when a point was scored - for either team. Even though the game was competitive and everyone worked hard, it was clear that the players were also having a good time. Encouragements and passes flew freely.
After a brief warm down I had the opportunity to speak to some of the players, and that point was made over and over: I feel really welcome here. Many mentioned having made friends within the team, and the social occasions such as Christmas meals were spoken of warmly. One Lady mentioned that she liked the way the different positions in the game allowed for different physical abilities, and catching up with the coach later, that was clearly one of the strengths of this sport. Someone pointed out that walking Netball in particular allowed her to keep physically fit in a fun way despite having had to slow down over the years. (Note: She did not appear to me like someone who had slowed down. She was flippin' fast!)
So what should you do if you want to give walking Netball a go?
1) Find a club near you: https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/play/walking-netball/
2) Wear comfortable clothes and a pair of good trainers.
3) Definitely take a bottle of water
4) If you want to feel well prepared, maybe have a look at the (many) rules - but I felt that once we got going, things made a lot more sense, so I wouldn't worry too much.
5) Whilst the sport is designed for all fitness levels (phew), it is physically demanding. So if a year of lock down sofa-warming has done some damage, it might be worth going for a few strolls; one Lady suggested walking at varying speeds to get the heart rate going. Practicing throwing and catching a ball against a wall may also be helpful if it has been a few years since you last engaged in a ball sport. And stretching exercises - such as Yoga or Pilates - always seem to have a positive effect.
6) Consider the finances: The local team are coached for £4 a session.
And what happened next? I picked up the best husband and we went climbing because WE FINALLY COULD!
